India is allowed to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the World Bank has said.

The World Bank&#39;s comments came as officials from India Pakistan concluded the secretary-level talks over the Indus Water Treaty.

Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle&nbsp;(850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India in Jammu and Kashmir, the global lender said in a fact sheet issued yesterday.

Noting that the two countries disagree over whether the technical design features of the two hydroelectric plants contravene the treaty, the World Bank said the Indus Water Treaty designates these two rivers as well as the Indus as the &quot;Western Rivers&quot; to which Pakistan has an unrestricted use.

&quot;Among other uses,&nbsp;India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers subject to constraints specified in annexures to the treaty,&quot; the Bank said in its fact sheet.

It noted that the talks on the technical issues of the IWT took place this week &quot;in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation&quot;.

The parties have agreed to continue discussions and reconvene in September in Washington DC, it said in a separate statement.

In the lengthy fact sheet,&nbsp;the World Bank said Pakistan asked it to facilitate the setting up of a Court of Arbitration to look into its concerns about the designs of the two hydroelectric power projects.

On the other hand, India had asked for the appointment of a neutral expert to look into the issues, contending the concerns Pakistan raised were &quot;technical&quot; ones.

The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960&nbsp;after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.

The World Bank&#39;s role in relation to &quot;differences&quot; and &quot;disputes&quot; is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said.

Earlier, in a letter dated July 25, the World Bank had assured Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, its &quot;continued neutrality and impartiality in helping the parties to find an&nbsp;amicable way forward.&quot;

The two countries last held talks over the two projects in March this year during the meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) in Pakistan.

Pakistan had approached the World Bank last year, raising concerns over the designs of two hydroelectricity projects located in Jammu and Kashmir.

It had demanded that the World Bank, which is the mediator between the two countries under the 57-year-old water distribution pact, set up a court of arbitration to look into its concerns. 
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The World Bank noted that India and Pakistan disagree over the technical design features of the hydroelectric plants

India is allowed to construct hydroelectric power facilities on tributaries of the Jhelum and Chenab rivers with certain restrictions under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the World Bank has said. The World Bank's comments came as officials from India Pakistan concluded the secretary-level talks over the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan opposes the construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric power plants being built by India in Jammu and Kashmir, the global lender said in a fact sheet issued yesterday. Noting that the two countries disagree over whether the technical design features of the two hydroelectric plants contravene the treaty, the World Bank said the Indus Water Treaty designates these two rivers as well as the Indus as the "Western Rivers" to which Pakistan has an unrestricted use. "Among other uses, India is permitted to construct hydroelectric power facilities on these rivers subject to constraints specified in annexures to the treaty," the Bank said in its fact sheet. It noted that the talks on the technical issues of the IWT took place this week "in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation". The parties have agreed to continue discussions and reconvene in September in Washington DC, it said in a separate statement. In the lengthy fact sheet, the World Bank said Pakistan asked it to facilitate the setting up of a Court of Arbitration to look into its concerns about the designs of the two hydroelectric power projects. On the other hand, India had asked for the appointment of a neutral expert to look into the issues, contending the concerns Pakistan raised were "technical" ones. The Indus Water Treaty was signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan with the help of the World Bank, which is also a signatory. The World Bank's role in relation to "differences" and "disputes" is limited to the designation of people to fulfil certain roles when requested by either or both of the parties, the fact sheet said. Earlier, in a letter dated July 25, the World Bank had assured Indian Ambassador to the US, Navtej Sarna, its "continued neutrality and impartiality in helping the parties to find an amicable way forward." The two countries last held talks over the two projects in March this year during the meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) in Pakistan. Pakistan had approached the World Bank last year, raising concerns over the designs of two hydroelectricity projects located in Jammu and Kashmir. It had demanded that the World Bank, which is the mediator between the two countries under the 57-year-old water distribution pact, set up a court of arbitration to look into its concerns.

Indus Waters Treaty: India gets World Bank nod on Kishanganga project

Pakistan will move the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) to restrain India from building two major hydropower projects on Jhelum and Chenab, the two rivers assigned to Islamabad under the 1960s Indus Waters Treaty. 
 
&quot;Pakistan to move international court of arbitration,&quot; tweeted federal minister for water and power Khwaja Mohammad Asif, who also holds the portfolio of federal minister for defence. 
 
An eight-member delegation led by secretary water and power Mohammad Younas Dagha is presently in New Delhi for final talks on resolving the dispute bilaterally or to seek arbitration, Dawn reported. 
 
Asif said the talks for two and a half years with India on the resolution of Pakistan&#39;s objections regarding Kishanganga and Ratle Hydroelectric projects have failed. 
 
&quot;Pakistan with consent of stakeholders decided to take it to full court of arbitration,&quot; he said adding that India has invited Pakistan to discuss points of dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty. 
 
Under the treaty, in case the parties fail to resolve water disputes through bilateral means, the aggrieved party has the option to invoke the jurisdiction of the ICA or the neutral expert under the auspices of the World Bank. 
 
An official said Pakistan feels its water rights are being violated by India on two rivers, the Chenab and Jhelum, through a faulty design of 850 megawatt Ratle Hydropower Project, and 330 megawatt Kishanganga Hydropower, respectively. 
 
Pakistan believes the Indian design of the Ratle project would reduce Chenab water flow by 40 per cent at Head Marala and cause irrigation loss to crops. 
 
(ANI)

Pakistan feels Indian water projects would reduce the flow of its river, causing damage to crops

Pakistan will move the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) to restrain India from building two major hydropower projects on Jhelum and Chenab, the two rivers assigned to Islamabad under the 1960s Indus Waters Treaty. "Pakistan to move international court of arbitration," tweeted federal minister for water and power Khwaja Mohammad Asif, who also holds the portfolio of federal minister for defence. An eight-member delegation led by secretary water and power Mohammad Younas Dagha is presently in New Delhi for final talks on resolving the dispute bilaterally or to seek arbitration, Dawn reported. Asif said the talks for two and a half years with India on the resolution of Pakistan's objections regarding Kishanganga and Ratle Hydroelectric projects have failed. "Pakistan with consent of stakeholders decided to take it to full court of arbitration," he said adding that India has invited Pakistan to discuss points of dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty. Under the treaty, in case the parties fail to resolve water disputes through bilateral means, the aggrieved party has the option to invoke the jurisdiction of the ICA or the neutral expert under the auspices of the World Bank. An official said Pakistan feels its water rights are being violated by India on two rivers, the Chenab and Jhelum, through a faulty design of 850 megawatt Ratle Hydropower Project, and 330 megawatt Kishanganga Hydropower, respectively. Pakistan believes the Indian design of the Ratle project would reduce Chenab water flow by 40 per cent at Head Marala and cause irrigation loss to crops. (ANI)

Pakistan to seek arbitration with India over water dispute

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Indus Waters Treaty: India gets World Bank nod on Kishanganga project

Pakistan to seek arbitration with India over water dispute