Inconclusive talks: India rejects plea for change in Kishanganga design
A final session of talks with India will be held in September and October
LAHORE:
The third round of talks between water experts from Pakistan and India hit an impasse on Tuesday when India refused to accept Pakistan’s demands to change the design of Kishanganga dam.
An Indian delegation – led by Indus Water Commissioner (India), K Vohra – arrived in Lahore to discuss the controversial water issues between both countries that have remain unresolved for several decades.
The delegation will return to India on August 28. Furthermore, it is likely that another round of talks will be held between the two delegations.
During Tuesday’s session, Pakistan raised objections to the design of Kishanganga dam and four other projects.
Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner, Mirza Asif Baig, informed the media that the talks were ineffective as both sides had failed to reach an agreement. He added that after the third round of talks ended on an inconclusive note, a dialogue report has been submitted to the government.
Asif Baig expressed dissatisfaction with the limited degree of progress made during the talks and said he was not sure when this dispute would be resolved.
A final session of talks will be held in September and October. Pakistan, according to Baig, will not allow India to put off the matter any further and a decision would be made in the final session,
After the second round of talks had failed on Monday, water experts from Pakistan had threatened to appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Baig insists that the ICJ would be in a better position to arbitrate on the issue and broker a deal. However, he is waiting for the final session of talks to end.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2014.
The third round of talks between water experts from Pakistan and India hit an impasse on Tuesday when India refused to accept Pakistan’s demands to change the design of Kishanganga dam.
An Indian delegation – led by Indus Water Commissioner (India), K Vohra – arrived in Lahore to discuss the controversial water issues between both countries that have remain unresolved for several decades.
The delegation will return to India on August 28. Furthermore, it is likely that another round of talks will be held between the two delegations.
During Tuesday’s session, Pakistan raised objections to the design of Kishanganga dam and four other projects.
Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner, Mirza Asif Baig, informed the media that the talks were ineffective as both sides had failed to reach an agreement. He added that after the third round of talks ended on an inconclusive note, a dialogue report has been submitted to the government.
Asif Baig expressed dissatisfaction with the limited degree of progress made during the talks and said he was not sure when this dispute would be resolved.
A final session of talks will be held in September and October. Pakistan, according to Baig, will not allow India to put off the matter any further and a decision would be made in the final session,
After the second round of talks had failed on Monday, water experts from Pakistan had threatened to appeal to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Baig insists that the ICJ would be in a better position to arbitrate on the issue and broker a deal. However, he is waiting for the final session of talks to end.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 27th, 2014.