The deadlock between Pakistan and India continues on water issues
Zeeshan Javed
The deadlock over talks on water issues continued between Pakistan and India on the second day of talks held here in the federal capital.
India clings to its point of view, whereas the Pakistani side also showed no flexibility in its position relating to the construction of hydropower projects by India in the disputed border areas of China, India, and Pakistan, including Kargil.
A 12-member Indian delegation led by the Indian Indus Water Commissioner, P.K. Sexena, has been in Islamabad for the past two days to hold talks on water issues between the two countries.
The water commissioners of two arch-rivals are holding talks on water issues which included exchanging river flow data, including controversial water projects.
India has categorically rejected Pakistan’s concerns over the provision of data on the flow of eastern rivers Ravi, Satluj, and Beas as per the 1989 data-sharing arrangement.
Talks on Water Issues Start With a Delay
The second round of talks commenced with a 45-minute delay.
For security reasons, security officials prevented Pakistani Indus Water Commissioner Syed Mehar Ali Shah from entering the meeting place at a local hotel in Islamabad.
The Pakistani commissioner went back to the Ministry of Water Resources due to misconduct by security personnel.
Later, with the intervention of senior officials, Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner chaired a high-level meeting on water resources.
In the first round of talks, Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner, Syed Mehr Ali Shah, along with his Indian counterpart, conveyed technical concerns over the construction of the 644 MW Khetro Hydropower Project under construction on the Chenab River by India.
Pakistan’s position on controversial Project
Pakistan’s position on the controversial project was that its design could affect the flow of the Chenab River in Pakistan. Pakistan and India have been holding talks for a long over water issues.
This will have a direct impact on the agricultural areas adjacent to Head Marala, a major reservoir near Sialkot in Pakistan.
According to sources, the tussle between the Indus Water Commissioners of the two countries started at the time when the Pakistani Indus Water Commissioner presented his position to his Indian counterpart regarding the provision of data on the flow of eastern rivers into Pakistan.
Whrejectingting Pakistan’s position, Indian Indus Water Commissioner PK Saxena said that India could only provide data on the flow of eastern rivers to Pakistan in case of high floods force during the ing monsoon.
In response to the position of the Indian Indus Water Commissioner, Syed Mehr Ali Shah said that human life is of no importance to him.
He questioned his Indian counterpart as to who would be responsible for the loss of human lives in Pakistan due to floods in the event of non-provision of water flow data in the eastern rivers by India on time.
However, the Indian authorities rejected Pakistan’s position, that, under the 1989 unanimous proposal, they were to provide data on the flow of Indian eastern rivers into Pakistan before the onset of the monsoon.
Two sides held the second round of the meeting on Wednesday, Pakistan raised its objections with India on the design of Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai, the controversial projects with India.
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According to Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner Syed Mehr Ali Shah, India has assured Pakistan that it will be informed of the positive developments regarding the design of the project by May this year. While India’s position on Lower Kalnai was that development work on the said project has been stopped since 2014.
The third and final round of negotiations will take place on Thursday (today).
After a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner’s office, the Indian delegation will depart for India via the Wagah Border in Lahore.
