Response to Indian plea likely today: Extension in Kishanganga project talks
By Ahmad Fraz Khan
LAHORE, July 17: Pakistan may respond on Monday to the Indian request for an extension in deadline set for July 15 for a final meeting on the Kishanganga Hydropower project.
According to sources in the Pakistan Commissionerate for Indus Basin Water Treaty, the Indian Commissioner had written a letter to his Pakistani counterpart requesting an extension in the deadline for the final meeting until the first week of August.
Pakistan had earlier asked the Indian team to arrive here for the meeting during July 11-14. The Indian team, through the letter, has shown its inability and asked Pakistan to defer the meeting until August 4-8.
Talking about the content of the letter, they said it contained nothing but a request for an extension in dates for the final meeting.
Pakistan is busy formalizing its response to the Indian letter, which may be dispatched by Monday, they said.
Talking about the possible response, the sources claimed that it would most probably be positive. In such cases, time of a week or two hardly mattered. “Pakistan is likely to agree to the new Indian deadline, which is only three weeks away,” the sources said.
The other option with Pakistan is to insist on earlier deadline of July 15, which was also finalized on the Indian request, and invoke dispute resolution clauses of the treaty.
The Pakistani side, however, is of the view that it would still be better placed when it comes to dispute resolution if it waits for another three weeks and calls Indian bluff, if it turns out to be so.
In these circumstances, Pakistan would most probably agree to the Indian request and extend the deadline, they said.
Pakistan feels that its case has been strengthened with the collapse of Kishanganga tunnel and the resulting flooding of its vast areas.
It may be mentioned that in their meeting in May this year, both commissioners had set the date of July 15 for the resolution of the problem.
In pursuance of the same deadline, Pakistani side had visited India last month and invited the Indian side for the final meeting on July 11.
In case of failure, Pakistan had threatened to seek appointment of a neutral expert for the 330 MW Kishanganga hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan was keen on setting a deadline considering the Indian delaying tactics on the Baglihar hydropower project.
Pakistan had formalized it objections in the form of six questions about dam design and water flows, but the Indian side has so far failed to furnish the required data to Pakistan’s satisfaction.
The Pakistani side was also expected to visit the dam site in Gruze valley during its reciprocal visit to India last month, but could not do so. Pakistan has been maintaining that with current design, water flow in the river would shrink by 27 per cent, causing an overall water reduction to the country by eight to ten per cent.
