ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters has put India on notice to address Pakistan’s concerns regarding the controversial Baglihar hydro-electric project on river Chenab, well-placed sources told Dawn on Saturday.
Commissioner Syed Jamait Ali Shah has proposed to his counterpart that a meeting of the Permanent Commission be convened to address Islamabad’s concerns before Dec 18, the sources said. The commissioner has also demanded that India suspend construction work on the project site till the matter is resolved.
Pakistan’s main concern is that India may create a capability through the existing design of Baglihar project in occupied Kashmir to manipulate flow of water to Pakistan’s disadvantage.
The Indian commissioner was informed through a letter early this week that Pakistan would be compelled to consider the third party option in case India failed to respond to the notice by Dec 18.
“It has been conveyed to India that Pakistan may be forced to take recourse to other means available in the Treaty,” official sources told this correspondent on Friday.
The bilateral water-sharing Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), brokered by the World Bank in 1960, gives Pakistan and India the third party option in case of a deadlock over any issue.
Article IX of the IWT provides for settling of disputes or differences through neutral observers or arbitration if they cannot be resolved between the two commissioners. Officials say appointing neutral observers could cost over a million dollars each to India and Pakistan.
India has been dragging its feet over the Baglihar issue since May 1999 when Pakistan first raised objections to its design. Pakistan made several attempts during this period to resolve the matter at the commissioners’ level but the Indian side has not been forthcoming.
India has already postponed five times tour for inspection of the Baglihar construction site requested by the Pakistan side.
