The Indus is the lifeblood of the Indus people

PAKISTAN IS at the vortex of three towering and magnificent mountain ranges– the Grand Himalayas, the majestic Karakorum and the ruthless and bloody Hidukush. This confluence of the highest mountains in the world creates space for shared economic development and security and stability in the adjacent regions.

The Indus brings water, and silt which is instrumental in crop growth. The Glaciers also bring floods and misery to the people. The Indus joins Pakistan and China in friendship and divides Pakistan and Bharat in perpetual Hydro Wars. The Himalyas have been the fountainhead and the lifeblood of the people of the Indus.

The Himalayas present mountains of opportunities to overcome the loads of issues that are presented to the South Asians. The Himalayas have been the life line for the people of the Indus for thousands of years. Five thousand years ago this region and its people were drinking the water from the Himalayas, using the glacier water for trade, and harnessing the energy in terms of small “pan chakkis” or water dams. Bharat at the peak of the Indus valley was jungle and Ganges Valley did not have a civilization. That came later–centuries later.

At least 1.3 billion people are directly and half of humanity is indirectly dependent on them. Such is the importance of the Himalayas which is the backbone of multiple adjoining regions. Fourteen of the highest peaks in the world are located in these diverse mountain ranges spreading from the Karakorum all the way to the Tibetan Plateau. They inspire people and lift their spirits. For many the Himalayas have sacred and religious value.

The Himalayas are truly a global heritage, as they have been over the centuries overseeing the interchange of civilizations from the Indus Valley to the Tibetan Plateau to the Brahmaputra Basin. History shows that the Himalayas Mountains do not divide but unite South Asia, China and South East Asia. The 2,400km long arc of the Himalayas thus constitutes a “trans-border”, not a border.

The Indus and Sutlej rivers, for instance, originate from the Himalayas, but run through the lands of Pakistan. Similarly, the Mahakali, the Ganges, and the Brahmaputra start from the Himalayas, pass through South Asian lands and flow into the oceans and seas.

The Himalayas join at least six countries Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, India, Nepal, and Bhutan and many regions as common eco-systems with shared geography and topography. It is therefore our collective responsibility to preserve biodiversity, ethnic richness, and cultural heritage of the Himalayas. Abundant resources of the Himalayas can be used to reduce poverty.

Through subterfuge and lies, Bharat has been able to get control of water that flows down through Kashmir. While Bharat’s Aqua wars continue unabated, Pakistan has to deal with the new realities. Internal consensus and an army of engineers is needed to overcome some of the impediments faced by the nation.

South Asia and China are water stressed regions. It is important for both to develop a regional approach on waters, glacier melting, water conservation and watershed management. It is also needed to use the Himalayas and the related mountain chains for enhancing connectivity through more road and rail links. The Himalayas can become a catalyst for even closer relations between the two regions.

Pakistan can use the abundant resources of Himalayas to reduce poverty. It is also our collective responsibility to preserve the biodiversity, ethnic richness, and cultural heritage of the Himalayas. The Himalayan Indus still offers opportunity to the people of South Asia. It is up to the people of South Asia who need to harness it for the collective good of the people of the region.
http://www.technologytimes.pk/mag/2011/feb11/issue03/the_indus_is_the_lifeblood.php