Washington: Pakistan has raised the matter of inauguration of the Kishanganga hydropower plant with the World Bank, according to a news report. Pakistan’s position is that the dam violates the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and was inaugurated despite Pakistan’s objections.
Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali will lead Pakistan’s delegation. It will hold three-day talks with the World Bank. Other members of the delegation include Indus Water Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah, Water and Power Secretary Shumail Khwaja and spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Faisal.
The agenda of the talks include the height of the Kishanganga dam, its capacity, setting up a court of arbitration to settle the dispute, and India’s counter-demand for an international expert.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan’s envoy in Washington, Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said that as a lower riparian country, Pakistan has a right to unfettered access to water that flows into Pakistan from upper riparian areas.
Pakistan’s detailed argument is that under the Indus Water Treaty, no structure can be constructed that will hinder the flow of a river, and the height and storage capacity of any dams on the six Indus rivers has been fixed. Kishanganga damn has greater capacity and height than allowed under the treaty. India, in return, claims that the matter has been fixed.
