Pakistani delegation leaves for New Delhi to hold water talks

LAHORE: A five-member Pakistani delegation led by Indus Water Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah departed for India for talks on water disputes.

The Pakistani delegation left on Sunday for New Delhi through Wagah border to hold talks on May 30 and 31 and will return on June 1.

The agenda of the talks includes a schedule of joint inspection of barrages while the talks will be held in New Delhi. Issues related to water sector will also be discussed in the dialogues, while the issue of providing advance information on floodwaters will be discussed.

The annual report of Indus Water Commissioners will be finalized in the talks, while construction of dams by India will be discussed. Under the relevant provisions of the IWT 1960, the meeting takes place alternatively in Pakistan and India annually.

The previous talks were held in March in Islamabad where Pakistan had raised objected over the launch of illegal water projects on the Indus River.

In March, Islamabad and New Delhi had reiterated to implement the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the 117th meeting of the India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission.

The Indian delegation comprising 10 members was headed by Indian Commissioner for Indus Waters PK Saxena, while Islamabad’s delegation was led by Pakistani Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah.

Pakistan had reiterated its observations on the Kiru Hydroelectric project (HEP) located upstream river Chenab. Pakistan’s position on the controversial project was that the design of the project could affect the flow of the Chenab River in Pakistan.  This will have a direct impact on the agricultural areas adjacent to Head Marala, a major reservoir near Sialkot.

Pakistan also raised its objection to New Delhi’s new run-of-the-river small HEPs on Western rivers. The Indian side was also urged to communicate advance flood-flow information as per the provisions of the treaty and the practice in vogue from 1989 until 2018.

“Response to Pakistan’s objections to Indian projects including Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai was also sought.
read the communiqué issued after the meeting.

“Both sides reiterated their commitment to implement the Indus Waters Treaty in its true spirit and expressed the hope that the next meeting of the commission would be held at an early date in India,” it added.

India has categorically rejected Pakistan’s concerns over the provision of data on the flow of eastern rivers Ravi, Satluj and Beas as per the 1989 data-sharing arrangement.