February 5, 2003	Wednesday	Zul Hijjah 3,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 4: Pakistan has asked India to immediately arrange site-inspection of the 450-MW Baglihar Hydropower Project on the Chenab river in the Indian-held Kashmir as New Delhi continues with the construction of the gate-structure to complete the project by 2004.

The Pakistani and Indian commissioners for Indus Waters opened the much-delayed talks on the controversial construction of the project by India here on Tuesday.

Pakistan would resort to the option of Neutral Expert under the aegis of the United Nations as envisaged under the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, if the meeting failed to resolve the issue amicably at the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) level, Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters (PCIW) Syed Jamaat Ali Shah said.

“We want to fully benefit from the PIC forum and if an agreement is not reached then the subject goes to the institutional arrangements provided for in the treaty,” he told a group of reporters after preliminary talks with the Indian side.

He said that it was Pakistan’s stance that India could not develop a gate structure on the Chenab but they (Indians) have responded that unless Pakistan comes out with objections over the revised design of the project provided by India the meeting would remain fruitless.

“We have maintained our objections on the revised design as well and that is why this meeting is taking place on the special request of Pakistan,” he added.

He said the two sides showed the urge in the introductory meeting to resolve the issue at the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) level and it would be the endeavour of both to amicably settle the dispute.

To a question whether Pakistan would not opt for third party mediation, Mr Shah said it could be decided only after assessing the outcome of the meeting. He said the two sides had created the Indus commission and “we want to fully benefit from this forum but if there is no agreement at this level then the matter goes to the institutional arrangements agreed upon in the treaty.”

He said it would have to be seen as to what extent the Indian side accepted Pakistan’s position when the two sides engage in detailed discussions.

When asked whether India was buying time to complete the project through delaying tactics in holding discussions, Jamaat Ali Shah said India had been going ahead with the construction of the gate-structure, and that was why Pakistan was anxious to resolve the dispute immediately to protect its rights.

To another question, Mr Shah said that Indian commissioner for Indus waters had agreed to arrange a visit of Pakistani experts in December 2001 to the project site but it was postponed due to the tense political situation developed as a result of massing of troops on the borders.

He said that Pakistan had been repeating its demand for site inspection through correspondence and would now stress upon the Indian side during the meeting to immediately arrange a visit of the Pakistani team to the site.

He said the two sides were expected to issue a joint statement at the conclusion of the talks on Thursday.

Pakistani side led by PCIW Syed Jamaat Ali Shah comprised representatives of water and power ministry, legal advisor of the foreign affairs ministry, Wapda, Nespak and Punjab irrigation department.

The 7-member Indian delegation, led by its commissioner A. C. Gupta, comprised A.D Bhardwaj, Narinder Singh, Dr Dharam Vir Thareja, Abdul Gani Malik, G Aranganathan and Chandra Kumar Laldas.

Pakistan has been asking India for the last three years to arrange a visit of its technical experts to the Indian-held Kashmir to verify the structure of 450-MW Baglihar power project that it believed could deprive its Chenab river of over 7,000 cusec water per day.

Pakistan has serious objections over the construction of this project as well as Kishanganga project on Jhelum by India. New Delhi had promised in 2001 to facilitate the visit of Pakistani experts to the two sites but did not honour the commitment.

Islamabad believed the gate-structure on Chenab would divert its waters to its disadvantage.

The Chenab river belonged to Pakistan but India could construct run-of-the-river power projects and the ones that did not divert or reduce the water flow.

Under the treaty, Pakistan has exclusive rights to use water of western rivers — Indus, Jehlum and Chenab — while eastern rivers — Ravi, Sutlej and Beas — have been assigned to India. Brokered by the World Bank, the 1960 treaty had helped resolve a severe resource distribution problem in the aftermath of the partition. The WB is also the guarantor of the treaty.