The Diamer Bhasha Dam is being built between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, which was started during the Imran Khan government. However, it is stuck in the middle due to opposition from India and the local people.

After making hue and cry all over the world and failing to put pressure on India at the international level, Pakistan has planned to increase the water storage capacity. After the April Pahalgam terror attack, India had suspended the Indus Water Treaty, after which Pakistan made several appeals to restore the treaty, but it did not get any attention.

Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday (July 1, 2025) accused India of using water as a weapon and said that the government has decided to increase water storage capacity. Shahbaz Sharif says that Diamer will create non-controversial water storage capacity using Bhasha Dam and other resources. 

Where is the Diamer Bhasha Dam being built?

The Diamer Bhasha Dam is being built between Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan. Its construction was started during the Imran Khan government, to which India objected because it was being built in an illegal area. Not only this, the local people are also opposing the dam. They say that they will not allow the dam to be built until their demands are met. However, Shahbaz Sharif has said that there is a provision to increase water capacity in the water agreement between the provinces in the year 1991. He said that we will build it by next year with our resources.

How was water divided in the Indus Water Treaty?

In 1960, the Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan with the mediation of the World Bank regarding the distribution of water of 6 rivers, under which the water of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers was given to India and the water of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers was given to Pakistan. 80 percent of Pakistan's water supply comes from Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, but ever since India has suspended the Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan's condition is bad and hence it is adopting different tactics. 

What did Pakistan do to restore the Indus Water Treaty?

First it tried to scare India by threatening war, when that did not work, it went around the world crying and also used international forums to put pressure on India, but even this trick of its could not succeed. The World Bank has advised Pakistan that since this is a matter between it and India, it should settle it through talks. On the other hand, India says that first the issue of Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) and terrorism will be resolved, only then will there be talks on any other issue. After all these tricks failed, Pakistan has decided to increase the water storage capacity.