The secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan on the Indus Water Treaty relating to two controversial hydropower projects have been postponed until the end of this month, a Pakistani media report today said.
The talks were scheduled for April 11-13 but have been delayed until the end of April, The Nation reported quoting sources, but didn’t cite any reason for the postponement.
However, Indus Water Treaty Commissioner Asif Baig told the newspaper that April 11-13 were not the scheduled dates for the meeting as these dates were only a proposal.
He said he does not know about the new dates.
Pakistan has reservations over the designs of both the hydropower projects and is seeking the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) through the World Bank – the so-called guarantor of the 1960 treaty – while India insists on resolving the issue through neutral experts.
Under the Indus Water Treaty, New Delhi has to share all details of any hydropower project on the rivers on which Pakistan has water rights under the treaty.
Pakistan says no design of these projects was shared, which is a violation of the 57-year-old treaty.