Pakistan on Friday expressed “serious concerns” over the inauguration of the controversial Kishanganga hydropower project by India and termed it a “violation of the Indus Waters Treaty”.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office said, “Pakistan believes that the inauguration of the project without the resolution of the dispute is tantamount to violation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).”

Despite several rounds of bilateral negotiations as well mediations by the World Bank, India continued with the construction of the project, the Foreign Office said, adding that “this intransigence on part of India clearly threatens the sanctity of the Treaty”.

The Foreign Office reiterated that as the custodian of the treaty, the World Bank must urge India to address Pakistan’s reservations on the Kishanganga project.

Pakistan maintains that India had completed the 330MW project during the period the World Bank “paused” the process for constitution of a Court of Arbitration (COA) as requested by Pakistan in early 2016. The Pakistani request was countered by India by calling for a neutral expert.

Pakistan had called for the resolution of disputes over the Kishanganga project on the Neelum river and 850MW Ratle hydropower project on the Chenab.