Pakistan to hold water talks with India today

The talks between Pakistan and India would be held today over reported violation of the Indus Water Treaty, with two controversial water storage and hydro power projects being built by India.

A nine-member delegation headed by Indian Water Commissioner P K Saxena reached Pakistan via Wagah border a day earlier.

The Pakistani delegation will be headed by Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah.

During the talks, both the countries will present their reports over the matter.

Following meetings between the two parties, a joint notification would be issued.

The projects by India have been started on Chenab River, which violate the Indus Waters Treaty signed between the two countries, sources said.

Officials have confirmed that India wanted to place spillway of 1,000 megawatts of Pakal Dul Dam on Chenab River in Indian-occupied Kashmir, about 15 metres down against the permissible limit, which will give the country undue leverage of holding 11,000 acres of feet water in addition to allowed volume of water storage, The News reported.

India wanted to establish water storage capacity of 88,000 acre feet on Chenab River with the setting up of Pakal Dul Dam.

Pakal Dul Dam is a reservoir-based scheme currently under construction on river Marusudar, the main right bank tributary of Chenab River in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir, while lower Kalnai project is of 48 megawatts on another tributary of the river.