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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
JAMMU: A Pakistani delegation arrived in Jammu on Sunday evening to participate in ongoing discussions regarding the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Over the next few days, the team is scheduled to visit various dam sites in the region. This visit signifies a step towards bilateral efforts to manage shared water resources governed by the treaty, which regulates the use of the Indus River and its tributaries. The delegation’s itinerary includes inspections of key dam projects to facilitate discussions on water management and treaty compliance.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistan President Ayub Khan in 1960, provides a framework for cooperation and information exchange regarding the Indus River system. The treaty is overseen by the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), a bilateral body with commissioners from both countries tasked with implementing and managing treaty provisions and resolving any questions, differences, or disputes that may arise.
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The PIC, which includes Indus Commissioners from India and Pakistan, has been a crucial platform for technical discussions and ensuring treaty compliance. Despite the treaty’s framework, India and Pakistan have faced ongoing disagreements over hydroelectric projects. Pakistan has raised objections to India’s construction of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants, arguing that they violate treaty provisions. India, however, asserts that the projects comply with the treaty’s guidelines and insists on 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 the appointment of a Neutral Expert to review its technical objections to India’s projects but later sought arbitration in 2016. Despite five meetings of the PIC from 2017 to 2022, Pakistan has refrained from discussing the issue, complicating efforts to reach a consensus.
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The arrival of the Pakistani delegation indicates a continued commitment to dialogue and cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty, with the upcoming site visits expected to further discussions on water management and treaty implementation.
To ensure the smooth visit of the neutral experts along with the delegations, the J&K Government had earlier appointed 25 Liaison Officers each in Srinagar and Jammu divisions.
