China is speeding up the construction of a top hydropower dam project in Pakistan as New Delhi threatens to cut off water from the Indian River.
China Energy Engineering Corporation has implemented the Mohmand hydropower dam project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northwest of Pakistan, since 2019.
This hydropower project is expected to be completed in 2026. However, on May 17, China's state broadcaster CCTV reported that the concrete pouring for the Mohmand hydropower dam body had been initiated, marking an " orderly milestone in the construction process, opening the acceleration phase for Pakistan's national symbol hydropower project".
China's announcement came after India announced it would suspend the Indian River Treaty in 1960 - a water sharing agreement between India and Pakistan - in response to a terrorist attack that killed many tourists in the Kashmir region controlled by India on April 22.
The suspension of the treaty puts Pakistan at serious risk to water security, as the river system provides about 80% of the country's agricultural water needs.
Islamabad warned that it would consider any action to block or redirect the flow of sovereign water resources in Pakistan as war action and said it would respond with all available national power tools.
Last week, the two South Asian countries agreed to a ceasefire after a series of fighting related to the attack in Kashmir that killed 26 people. India accuses Pakistan of subscribing to armed groups. Islamabad denied the allegations.
Reuters news agency on May 16 quoted sources as saying that India is considering a plan to significantly increase the amount of water taken from the Indian River, as a response to the attack by Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed officials to accelerate the planning and implementation of projects on the Chenab, Jhelum and the An River.
According to the Indian River Treaty of 1960, Pakistan has the right to use water from the Indian River and its western dependencies, the Jhelum and Chenab, while India is allowed to use rivers in the east, including the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.
India currently has a large hydropower grid, including the Bhakra Nangal dam - one of the largest works in the river system under this treaty.
Pakistan's food production system depends heavily on stable flows, making the country vulnerable to water fluctuations.
Mohmand Dam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is designed to serve many purposes: Power generation, flood control, irrigation water supply and domestic water supply. The dam is expected to produce about 800MW of electricity and provide 300 million gallons of clean water per day to the city of Peshawar - the capital and largest urban area in the province.
China and Pakistan have had a diplomatic partnership that has lasted for more than 7 decades. Beijing has poured billions of dollars into Pakistan's infrastructure as part of China - Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key part of China's Ring Road and Road (BRI) initiative.
