ISLAMABAD, June 19: Pakistan has ruled out the possibility of cooperation with India in the power sector in divided Kashmir till the resolution of Jammu and Kashmir dispute. “The two countries first need to resolve the Kashmir issue and water disputes before even considering such collaboration,” Foreign Office spokesman Jalil Abbas Jilani said on Sunday when asked to comment on recent calls for such cooperation from the Indian side.

He also underlined that the sanctity of the bilateral water sharing Indus Waters Treaty had to be maintained in this context.

Although there has been no formal proposal from the Indian government, hints about exploring possibilities of joint ventures in the power sector have been dropped through the media.

A recent report suggested that the Indian prime minister’s office had asked experts to look into this possibility.

Last month, Indian-held Kashmir’s Chief Minister Mufti Sayyed also said that India and Pakistan should jointly undertake hydro-power projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

The calls for cooperation in the power sector come at a time when Pakistan and India have serious differences over three water projects in Occupied Kashmir. These include the under-construction Baglihar dam, and proposed Kishanganga dam and Wullar Barrage.