KL Desk
Srinagar
India has won the case over Kishanganga power project case that is coming up in Gurez-Bandipore. The International Court of Arbitration at The Hague has ruled against Pakistan over the diversion of Neelum (Kishanganga) river into Wullar Lake via Gurez.
The 300-MW project being implemented by the NHPC is being set up at a faster pace by HCC to ensure they complete it within the stipulated time. It will make Islamabad’s project on the other side of the LoC unviable. The two countries were in race to have their projects ready within a specific time limit. Pakistan has handed over the WAPDA project to Chinese companies.
Pakistan had taken the case to ICA in 2010 summer. An interim order was already favouring India partly. The project envisages diverting water from the Kishanganga river into the Bona Madmati Nallah and to Wullar. It will add up to the capacities of Uri-I, Uri-II and Lower Jhelum projects.
The two countries tried to settle the issue bilaterally but failed. Islamabad said the “dispute” requires third party (read world bank) intervention under the Indus Water Treaty. It took the case and failed.
This is the second case that Pakistan lost. Literally, Pakistan did not get any major benefit excepting reduction in the dam when it took PDC owned Baglihar project to the Neutral Arbitrator appointed by the World Bank a few years back.
