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akistan tried to exploit fudged "facts" on environment in order to persuade India to withdraw from the Siachen glacier during the recent 13th round of talks. Pakistan is believed to have said that the glacier was melting at a faster pace because of Indian military presence. Research, however, shows just the opposite — the glacier is increasing in size.
Sources have told this newspaper that Pakistan wanted the environmental aspect included in the Indo-Pak joint statement issued after the talks. But India refused, as New Delhi feels that this would attract unnecessary attention and pressure from the international community, since the West is seen to be sensitive towards environment and global warming.
At the 13th round of talks, held in Islamabad on 11-12 June, India quoted research reports saying, "Karakoram mountain range — which is home to about half of the volume of the Himalayan Glaciers (of which Siachen is part), is holding steady, and may even be growing in size, according to the study, published in the April 2012 issue of the journal Nature Geoscience." The report continues, "The researchers used satellite photos to analyse the extent of the ice in about a quarter of the total range — about 2,167 square miles (5,615 square kilometres). The photos were taken in 1999 and 2008. The researchers used two computer models to translate the images, revealing the elevation of the glaciers and estimating the extent of the ice."
A source said, "Pakistan hyped the melting of the glacier, which is totally untrue and can be contested. This is why India quoted reports that are available, saying that Pakistan's claim of ice melting was inconclusive, and the logic put forth by Pakistan that Siachen was melting due to military presence, is not defensible till there is a factual study."
Pakistan has also held that since India occupies 2/3rd of the glacier, this is causing water problems for Pakistan as the glacier is the water-source of Indus. But studies have shown that only 10% of Indus' water is from Siachen.
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/pak-played-siachen-environment-card-fudged-glacier-facts
Sources have told this newspaper that Pakistan wanted the environmental aspect included in the Indo-Pak joint statement issued after the talks. But India refused, as New Delhi feels that this would attract unnecessary attention and pressure from the international community, since the West is seen to be sensitive towards environment and global warming.
At the 13th round of talks, held in Islamabad on 11-12 June, India quoted research reports saying, "Karakoram mountain range — which is home to about half of the volume of the Himalayan Glaciers (of which Siachen is part), is holding steady, and may even be growing in size, according to the study, published in the April 2012 issue of the journal Nature Geoscience." The report continues, "The researchers used satellite photos to analyse the extent of the ice in about a quarter of the total range — about 2,167 square miles (5,615 square kilometres). The photos were taken in 1999 and 2008. The researchers used two computer models to translate the images, revealing the elevation of the glaciers and estimating the extent of the ice."
A source said, "Pakistan hyped the melting of the glacier, which is totally untrue and can be contested. This is why India quoted reports that are available, saying that Pakistan's claim of ice melting was inconclusive, and the logic put forth by Pakistan that Siachen was melting due to military presence, is not defensible till there is a factual study."
Pakistan has also held that since India occupies 2/3rd of the glacier, this is causing water problems for Pakistan as the glacier is the water-source of Indus. But studies have shown that only 10% of Indus' water is from Siachen.
http://www.sunday-guardian.com/news/pak-played-siachen-environment-card-fudged-glacier-facts
