Indian delegation arrives in Pakistan to hold talks on Indus Waters Treaty

In the first bilateral engagement between India and Pakistan after Imran Khan took to the office, India on Tuesday sent a delegation of the Indian Water Commission forholding crucial talks with Pakistan in connection with the Indus Waters Treaty.

Indian Water Commission will hold bilateral talks with its counterpart Syed Mehr Ali Shahon Wednesday and Thursday in Lahore.

The nine members Indian delegation was received by Pakistan Water Commissionerand additional commissioner Sheraz Jamil at Wagah border.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

The last meeting of the Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission was held in New Delhi in March during which both the sides had shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory.

The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers. However, there have been disagreements and differences between India and Pakistan over the treaty.

Pakistan Water Commissioner Syed Mehr Ali Shah said Pakistan has raised objections on 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab and a detailed discussion will be held during the talks.

He further added that Pakistan also raised concerns over the construction of dams on Pakistani rivers.

According to an official of Pakistan Water Commission, Pakistan has been raising reservations over the designs of the two projects - 1000MW Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects on River Chenab - and would like India to either modify the designs to make them compliant to 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until Delhi satisfies Islamabad.

Pakistan has also challenged the discharge series of River Lower Kalnai at Dunadi for winter months and estimated permissible pondage of 0.38 cubic megametres compared to Indian design pondage of 2.74 cubic megametres. The Lower Kalnai project is on a left bank tributary of Chenab and can have gross storage of about 1,508-acre-feet of water.

(With inputs from PTI)