Indian delegation arrives in Lahore to attend PIC meeting

LAHORE: An Indian delegation has arrived in Lahore to take part in the meeting of Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) to discuss water dispute between the two neighbouring countries.

The delegation comprises 10 members including India’s Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena, MEA officials and technical experts.

Pakistan has raised objections to building of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants by India saying that it violates the provisions of the treaty.

Press Trust of India, quoting its government source, claimed: “India is ‘always open’ to discuss and resolve concerns Pakistan have over its projects under Indus Water Treaty (IWT) bilaterally.”

Tensions increased over the water dispute when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month threatened to block the flow of water into Pakistan.

World Bank had earlier asked both the countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements over the Indus Water Treaty 1960.

The World Bank had said that it was temporarily halting the appointment of a neutral expert as requested by India, and the Chairman of the Court of Arbitration, as requested by Pakistan, to resolve issues regarding two hydroelectric power plants under construction by India along the Indus Rivers system.

The treaty which was signed in 1960 by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan gives India control over the three eastern rivers of the Indus basin, the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej, while Pakistan has the three western rivers, the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum.