ISLAMABAD - India has proposed amendment to the Indus Water Treaty 1960 through intergovernmental negotiations between Islamabad and New Delhi. In a letter written to Pakistan, India has proposed to enter into inter-governmental negotiations for amendment in the Indus Water Treaty 1960 within 90 days, an official source in the Ministry of Water Resources confirmed to The Nation yesterday. India has proposed amendment in the treaty, saying there is a deadlock in the resolution mechanism of water dispute under the Indus Water Treaty after dispute for the last five years, said the sources.
The sources said that currently a Pakistani delegation, headed by the Secretary Water Resources and comprising Pakistan’s commissioner of Indus Waters, and other concerned officials is in The Hague for the first hearing by the Court of Arbitration over the design of two controversial hydro projects being constructed by India on Jhelum and Chenab rivers. Pakistan has raised objection to the controversial designs of the 330 MW Kishenganga and 850 MW Ratle Hydropower projects, which are being constructed on Jhelum and Chenab rivers respectively.
The first hearing by the Court of Arbitration started on January 27, which will continue on January 28. With the help of World Bank, India and Pakistan had signed the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960. The Treaty allocates the western rivers of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab to Pakistan, while the eastern rivers including Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated to India. The Treaty also allows each country certain uses on the rivers allocated to the other. According the World Bank Fact Sheet: The Indus Waters Treaty 1960 and the Role of the World Bank, “The Treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission, which has a Commissioner from each country.
The Treaty also sets forth distinct procedures to handle issues which may arise: “questions” are handled by the Commission; “differences” are to be resolved by a Neutral Expert; and “disputes” are to be referred to a seven-member arbitral tribunal called the “Court of Arbitration.” As a signatory to the Treaty, the World Bank’s role is limited and procedural. In particular, its role in relation to “differences” and “disputes” is limited to the designation of individuals to fulfil certain roles in the context of Neutral Expert or Court of Arbitration proceedings when requested by either or both of the Parties, said the fact sheet.