ISLAMABAD: The 116th meeting of the India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) concluded in New Delhi without making any tangible headway.
This was for the first time in over two years that the two sides sat down to resolve a host of outstanding issues under the Indus Waters Treaty as Pakistan raised objections to the design of Indian hydropower projects on the Chenab river.
Though the meeting ended without any significant headway, the sitting itself is being seen as a ‘positive step’ after both countries agreed to the Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire last month and the claims of back-channel dialogue to help initiate talks between the arch-rival states on the Kashmir dispute.
Under the relevant provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the meeting is held annually alternately in Pakistan and India. The Pakistan side was led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, Pakistan commissioner for Indus waters, while Pradeep Kumar Saxena, commissioner (Indus), led the Indian delegation.
India is building the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Project on river Marusudar, a tributary of the Chenab. The project is located in Kishtwar district of Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). The second project, Lower Kalnai, is being developed on the Chenab river.
According to an official handout issued, the Pakistani side reiterated its objections to the Indian projects, including Pakal Dul, Lower Kulnai, Durbuk Shyok and Nimu Chilling.
“Pakistani side also urged the Indian side to share data of water flows as per the provisions of the IWT following the practice in vogue since 1989. Pakistani side emphasised the importance of early resolution of the outstanding issues in accordance with the provisions of the IWT,” the official statement said.
Both sides agreed to make endeavours to resolve the issues, conduct tours of inspection and hold the next meeting of the commission in Pakistan at an early date.
An official told Pakistan Today that on the first day of the meeting, discussions on Pakistan’s objections to the Indian projects were held while the both sides raised counter arguments on Wednesday.
“The Pakistan side expressed its concern regarding these projects. Both sides stated their position on the issue,” the official added.
The last meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission was held in Lahore on August 29-30, 2018. Since then, relations between the two neighbours have witnessed a series of setbacks.
This year’s meeting is the first official sitting between the two commissioners after Pakistan Air Force shot down two intruding Indian Air Force jet fighters on February 27, 2019 and the subsequent abrogation of Article 370 in IOK by India. India has since cleared several hydropower projects for the region.
At the last meeting too, the Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai projects had come up for discussion. It was after this meeting that the Pakistan’s commissioner of Indus waters led a team to inspect Pakal Dul, Lower Kalnai, Ratle and other hydropower projects in the Chenab Basin on January 28-31, 2019.
Discussions on these projects have been going on since 2013, without any headway.
Under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, the commission is to meet “regularly at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan”.
The commission was scheduled to meet in March last year but had to cancel the meeting in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Later, India proposed to hold the meeting virtually but the Pakistan side insisted on holding the talks at the Attari check post. However, the Indian side conveyed to them that it was not conducive in view of the pandemic.
According to provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan has the right to raise concerns on the design of Indian hydroelectric projects on western rivers.
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