Please Help on Indus Water Treaty: Pakistan to World Bank

NEW DELHI: Pak team meets officials in Washington to discuss arbitration request under Article IX of treaty
Pakistan has requested the World Bank to prevent India from making constructions on the Jhelum and Chenab rivers, a day after India decided to fully utilise its legal rights on the two Western rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). A Pakistani delegation, led by Attorney-General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met senior World Bank officials at its headquarters in Washington to discuss Pakistan's recent request for arbitration under Article IX of IWT.

"In the meeting with the Pakistani delegation, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the treaty while remaining neutral," said a statement issued by the Pakistan embassy in Washington.

Its Article IX deals with arbitration of disputes between the parties concerning the interpretation or application of the treaty or the existence of any fact which, if established, might constitute a breach of the treaty. The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydroelectric power plants to be built by the parties. Pakistan claims that the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of IWT.

The differences on the designs of the two plants were discussed but could not be resolved in the 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th and 112th meetings of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters, comprising one commissioner from each country, which is responsible for the implementation of the treaty. Secretary-level talks were then held between governments of India and Pakistan on July 14 and 15 this year.

On August 19, Pak urged India for settlement of outstanding disputes over India's construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab, respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the treaty. India and Pak each appoint two arbitrators.