PAKISTAN’S canal-based irrigation system is among the oldest and largest integrated irrigation networks in the world. For centuries, the waters of the Indus Basin have sustained agriculture, supported livelihoods and shaped the economic foundations of the region. Today, however, growing uncertainty surrounding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) has raised serious concerns about Pakistan’s long-term water security.

The origins of Pakistan’s irrigation infrastructure predate the country’s creation. During the Mughal era, Emperor Shah Jahan commissioned the Upper Bari Doab Canal to bring water from the Ravi River to Lahore. Subsequent improvements under Maharaja Ranjit Singh and large-scale expansion during British rule transformed Punjab into one of the most productive agricultural regions of South Asia. By the time of Partition in 1947, an extensive network of canals and headworks irrigated vast tracts of fertile land.

Partition fundamentally altered this arrangement. Under the Radcliffe Award, several key headworks controlling canal waters were allocated to India despite serving agricultural lands that became part of Pakistan. The resulting division of water infrastructure exposed the newly established state to an immediate strategic vulnerability. This vulnerability became evident within months of independence when water supplies to certain Pakistani canals were interrupted, creating significant anxiety about the future of agriculture in the country. Temporary agreements helped avert a prolonged........

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