Indo-Pak talks on Tulbal Naviagation now likely in June

New Delhi, Apr 24 (UNI) The India-Pakistan talks on Tulbal Navigation Project/Wullar Barrage under the Third Round of the Composite Dialogue Process are likely to be held in Islamabad in June.

The talks, scheduled to be held on April 18-19, were postponed because of the Narmada agitation. Later, April 25-26 were suggested by India as the new dates for the two-day talks.

However, Pakistan expressed inability to host the Indian delegation for the talks tomorrow and on Wednesday, saying Mr Ashfaq Mehmood, Secretary Water, was busy in preparing for ''oral submission'' on Baglihar called by the World Bank and some other official engagements.

Pakistan has said it would be able to have talks only in June, the sources added.

Water Secretary J Hari Narayan was to leave for Islamabad today.

However, Pakistan's inability to host the Indian delegation at the present juncture had again put brakes on the talks.

The last round of the talks on the subject under the CDP was held here in June last year.

Both sides had reached an undestanding in 1994 based on which a non-paper was presented by the Indian side to Pakistan.

Pakistan however, rejected the proposal.

While Pakistan says the project, on River Jhelum in Jammu and Kashmir, violates the Indus Water Treaty, India says suspension of work on the project is harming the people of the state.

Work on the project was suspended in 1987 three years after construction started on it in 1984.

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