SRINAGAR: A Pakistani delegation arrived in Jammu on Sunday evening to participate in ongoing discussions concerning the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The visit is part of the dispute resolution on the Kishanganga and Ratle power projects and the Pakistani side – respondent in this case, was supposed to accompany the World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert.
Why Is World Bank Neutral Expert Flying to Jammu and Kashmir For 11 Days?
The delegation details are not immediately known and it is yet to be confirmed if the Neutral Expert is part of the delegation.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru of India and former President Ayub Khan of Pakistan, provides a cooperative framework for the use of the Indus River system and its tributaries. It is overseen by the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), a bilateral body with commissioners from both countries responsible for implementing and managing the treaty’s provisions and resolving any arising issues.
India and Pakistan are facing a series of disagreements over the Kishanganga (330 MW ) and Ratle (850 MW) hydroelectric plants. Pakitan claims these violate the treaty’s terms. India, on the other hand, insists that these projects comply with the treaty’s guidelines and asserts its right to develop them.
Efforts to resolve these disputes have been ongoing, with the World Bank encouraging both nations to explore alternative dispute-resolution mechanisms. In 2015, Pakistan requested a Neutral Expert to review its technical objections to India’s projects but later sought arbitration in 2016. Despite five PIC meetings from 2017 to 2022, Pakistan has refrained from discussing the issue, complicating efforts to reach a consensus, reports appearing in the media suggest.
