Indus rivers and Tarbela dam

THE REPORT BEGINS WITH A QUICK DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUS RIVER BASIN AND THEN DISCUSSES THE INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA AND THE CREATION OF PAKISTAN. WITH PARTITION CAME CONFLICT OVER THE RIVER AND IN PARTICULAR, OVER THE VARIOUS RIVER PROJECTS. THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF PAKISTAN AND INDIA DURING THIS TURBULENT PERIOD (1950-1960) UP TO THE INDUS BASIN AGREEMENT AT THE END OF THIS PERIOD. THEN THE CREATION OF THE WEST PAKISTAN WATER AND POWER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (WAPDA) IS DETAILED AND DEBATED QUITE THOROUGHLY. OTHER DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES AND COMMISSIONS ARE STUDIED, AS WELL AS U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS DURING THIS TIME. FINALLY, THE IMPACT OF THE TARBELA DAM ON DOMESTIC POLITICS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR BRINGS US UP TO DATE IN HIS CONCLUSION BY INDICATING THAT CONTROVERSY CONTINUED TO PLAGUE THE DAM PROJECT, THE LOWEST BID FROM A PRE-QUALIFIED BIDDER WAS NOT ACCEPTED, BUT THAT EVENTUALLY THE CONTRACT WENT TO A CONSORTIUM OF FIRMS LED BY AN ITALIAN COMPANY. TARBELA DAM WAS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 1975.