GENEVA: Important hills and grazing land in the northern part of the disputed Rann of Kutch, as well as strategic posts like Kanjar Kot and Chhad Bet in Rahim-ki-Bazar area, which were the scene of fighting in April, 1965, were awarded to Pakistan today [Feb 19] by the International Arbitral Tribunal led by Judge Gunnar Lagergren of Sweden. The areas gained would be about 350 square miles.

The border line in the Award map rationalises the Indo-Pakistan frontier, and several enclaves projecting into the former Sind territory, have been given to Pakistan. Most significant of these are the inlets, on either side of Nagar Parker, near the eastern terminal of the award line. The area awarded to Pakistan extends up to Badraja Kot and the region south of Rahim-ki-Bazar including Pirol Valo Kun as well as Dhara Bani. The boundary around Dhara Bani and Chhad Bet will be straight lines drawn from, or through, certain basic points.

Judge Lagergren ruled that “It would be inequitable to recognise these inlets (near the eastern terminal of the award line) as foreign territory” and might lead to “friction and conflict” between India and Pakistan, and accordingly he awarded the inlets to Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2018