Pak to approach World Bank to resolve Kishanganga dispute with India

Lahore, May 4 (ANI): Pakistan will approach the World Bank (WB) for the appointment of an impartial expert to resolve the Kishanganga power project dispute with India.

Indus Water Treaty Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah said on Sunday that Pakistan was taking the step because the commission on its own could not settle the matter.

"India has not shown any willingness to sort out the issue ... [so] we are approaching the WB," The Daily Times quoted Jamaat, as saying.

Jamaat said that according to the Indus Water Treaty, Pakistan had the right to the use of waters in Jehlum, Chenab and Sindh rivers.

About Baglihar Dam, he said a neutral expert resolved the issue in 2007. "Every project has its own nature ... India must not apply the decision in the Baglihar Dam dispute to the Kishanganga project."

Pakistan has been opposing the construction of the Kishanganga hydropower project on Ganga River in Kashmir, which is called Neelum upon entering Pakistan.

Pakistan believes that the diversion of waters of Neelum is not allowed under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, and it will face a 27 per cent water deficit, when the project gets completed.

The reduced water flow in the Neelum would not yield the required results of the proposed 1.6 billion dollars Neelum-Jehlum hydropower project that has been designed to generate 969 MW of electricity.

It has said that India has almost completed a 22-kilometre long tunnel to divert Kishanganga waters to Wullar Lake in Jammu and Kashmir. (ANI)