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LAHORE - Pakistan has finally decided to go for international arbitration against construction of five hydropower projects on Chenab and Jhelum rivers in Occupied Kashmir by India, official sources told The Nation.
The prime minister, after being briefed about the failure of recent talks between the Indus Water Commissions of both the countries in New Delhi, issued directions to prepare the case for arbitration in the International Court of Justice.
A 10-member delegation of Pakistani commission held three-day talks with Indian officials from February 1 to February 3 and repeated the serious objections to the projects, which India totally denied to accept.
Pakistan has raised technical objections over the designs of 850MW Ratle, 1,000MW Pakal Dul, 120MW Miyar and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydropower projects at River Chenab in Occupied Kashmir and termed the projects’ design parameters a violation of the Indus Water Treaty.
Similarly, India is violating the treaty by the construction of Kishanganga Dam on River Jhelum.
The officials of the Indus Water Commission of Pakistan believe the objections raised by Pakistan are logical in the light of the treaty and are hopeful of winning the case against India.
An official of the Pakistani commission, giving details of the meeting, said the recent talks with the Indian team remained largely ineffective.
Both sides simply put forward their own proposals, justifications and feedback on the designs for the hydro-power projects.
Pakistani team tried its best to persuade the Indian team to accept its objections in light of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) ratified in 1960.
However, the objections were not addressed by the Indian officials, he added.
“India is using delaying tactics in the name of talks and at the same time it has started construction work on the projects.
We cannot wait further and are likely to file the case against India by the end of this month after completing initial procedure.
”
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan had also raised the same objections to the projects when a 10-member Indian delegation visited Pakistan in August last year.
After that India asked to continue talks on the matter but on the other side it started construction work on the projects.
Another official of the commission said, “India has no intention to remove Islamabad’s reservations for modifying the designs of the projects rather it finalised bidding of three power projects and work is in progress on the fourth one – Ratle Hydropower Project.
They have not clearly refused, but it looks that the neighbouring country is adopting the same strategy that it had done during the construction of Baglihar Dam.
”
Under the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty 1960, the waters of the eastern rivers, Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, had been allocated to India and the western rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, to Pakistan except for certain uses allowed to India which included generation of hydropower but without altering the water flow.
Some water experts in Pakistan believe that India has carved out a plan to generate 32,000MW of electricity on the Pakistani rivers and will have the capacity to regulate the water flows that are destined to reach Pakistan.
It is being considered by them that the proposed projects of India would drastically impact the water flows in the Chenab which irrigates most of the land in the Punjab province, the food basket of the whole country.
PAKISTAN ALSO SUSPENDS BUS SERVICE
After suspension of trade activities across LoC, Pakistan on Sunday also suspended the bus service.
Imtiaz Wayen, director-general of AJK trade and travel authority, said Pakistan had also temporarily suspended a special bus service ahead of talks on Monday between Pakistan and Indian authorities over the arrest of a driver.
"The two sides will negotiate the issue during talks tomorrow.
We have suspended departure of a passenger bus, which was scheduled to cross into Indian part tomorrow, until the outcome of these talks," Wayen said.
"We will see what these talks will bring for us tomorrow and then will decide to resume the bus and truck service or not.
Pakistan to move ICJ over India’s water aggression
The prime minister, after being briefed about the failure of recent talks between the Indus Water Commissions of both the countries in New Delhi, issued directions to prepare the case for arbitration in the International Court of Justice.
A 10-member delegation of Pakistani commission held three-day talks with Indian officials from February 1 to February 3 and repeated the serious objections to the projects, which India totally denied to accept.
Pakistan has raised technical objections over the designs of 850MW Ratle, 1,000MW Pakal Dul, 120MW Miyar and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydropower projects at River Chenab in Occupied Kashmir and termed the projects’ design parameters a violation of the Indus Water Treaty.
Similarly, India is violating the treaty by the construction of Kishanganga Dam on River Jhelum.
The officials of the Indus Water Commission of Pakistan believe the objections raised by Pakistan are logical in the light of the treaty and are hopeful of winning the case against India.
An official of the Pakistani commission, giving details of the meeting, said the recent talks with the Indian team remained largely ineffective.
Both sides simply put forward their own proposals, justifications and feedback on the designs for the hydro-power projects.
Pakistani team tried its best to persuade the Indian team to accept its objections in light of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) ratified in 1960.
However, the objections were not addressed by the Indian officials, he added.
“India is using delaying tactics in the name of talks and at the same time it has started construction work on the projects.
We cannot wait further and are likely to file the case against India by the end of this month after completing initial procedure.
”
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan had also raised the same objections to the projects when a 10-member Indian delegation visited Pakistan in August last year.
After that India asked to continue talks on the matter but on the other side it started construction work on the projects.
Another official of the commission said, “India has no intention to remove Islamabad’s reservations for modifying the designs of the projects rather it finalised bidding of three power projects and work is in progress on the fourth one – Ratle Hydropower Project.
They have not clearly refused, but it looks that the neighbouring country is adopting the same strategy that it had done during the construction of Baglihar Dam.
”
Under the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty 1960, the waters of the eastern rivers, Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, had been allocated to India and the western rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, to Pakistan except for certain uses allowed to India which included generation of hydropower but without altering the water flow.
Some water experts in Pakistan believe that India has carved out a plan to generate 32,000MW of electricity on the Pakistani rivers and will have the capacity to regulate the water flows that are destined to reach Pakistan.
It is being considered by them that the proposed projects of India would drastically impact the water flows in the Chenab which irrigates most of the land in the Punjab province, the food basket of the whole country.
PAKISTAN ALSO SUSPENDS BUS SERVICE
After suspension of trade activities across LoC, Pakistan on Sunday also suspended the bus service.
Imtiaz Wayen, director-general of AJK trade and travel authority, said Pakistan had also temporarily suspended a special bus service ahead of talks on Monday between Pakistan and Indian authorities over the arrest of a driver.
"The two sides will negotiate the issue during talks tomorrow.
We have suspended departure of a passenger bus, which was scheduled to cross into Indian part tomorrow, until the outcome of these talks," Wayen said.
"We will see what these talks will bring for us tomorrow and then will decide to resume the bus and truck service or not.
Pakistan to move ICJ over India’s water aggression
