Kishanganga project: Pakistan, India fail to resolve issue

NEW DELHI - Pakistan and India have not been able to resolve issue of Kishanganga hydro-electric project during the 3- day deliberations concluded here on Monday. Kishanganga project is being constructed by India on Neelum River in IHK. Syed Jamaat Ali Shah, Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner told this news agency on Monday evening after the meeting of Pak-India Permanent Indus Commission said there was no convergence of views on Kishanganga project and both the countries  stick to their point on the issue. Pakistan would decide the next course of action on the issue after consultative meetings in Pakistan, he said. He said Pakistan had invited Indian team to visit Neelum-Jhelum project Pakistan had initiated on downstream in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Pakistan had suggested August 18 to 23 as dates for such visit. The Water Commissioner said he would visit Baglihar project in Doda district of Occupied Kashmir for physical verification of the modifications suggested by World Bank neutral expert Raymond Laftee in the project. India had assured that such modifications had been carried out in the project, he said. Syed Jamaat Ali Shah led a 9-member delegation at the talks while Indian Indus Water Commissioner G Raghunathan represented his country at the 3-day deliberations. Pakistan has raised serious objections over Kishanganga project and described it as violation of Indus Basin Treaty. According to media reports, India has accelerated the work on the project as it wanted to complete it before the major work is completed on Chinese assisted Neelum-Jhelum project in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Indian Union Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh said his Ministry was seeking the fresh approval from the Cabinet CCEA to complete the Kishanganga project. "Now that Pakistan has begun work with the help of a Chinese firm, we have to put our project on a fast track, said Indian Minister.

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