ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and India are to hold talks on controversial hydroelectric projects under construction in Held Kashmir on May 21 in Washington under the auspices of the World Bank, official sources told Business Recorder.

Pakistani delegation will comprise Secretary Water Resources, Shumail Khawaja, Attorney General of Pakistan Ashtar Ausaf Ali and Pakistan Indus Water Commissioner, Meher Ali Shah.

“The delegation will leave on Saturday (today) to attend the meeting, scheduled for Monday,” the official added.

The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is an agreement that empowers the World Bank to decide on serious water issues between Pakistan and India; examples include 850MW Ratle and 330MW Kishanganga hydroelectric projects.

The World Bank South Asia Region Vice President, Annette Dixon undertook a couple of visits to New Delhi and Islamabad to hear the viewpoints of both countries.

Finance Minister, Dr. Miftah Islmail also met the World Bank President a couple of weeks ago in Washington and complained about the Bank’s “ one-sided” role in controversial Indian hydroelectric projects.

Last month, Pakistan sent a letter to the World Bank, saying that as India has completed the controversial Kishanganga hydropower project, the World Bank should recognise its responsibility under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and address Pakistan’s concerns over two disputed projects.

There was a “pause” between Pakistan and India after talks in Washington in September last year under the aegis of the World Bank, which brokered the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in 1960. 

Pakistan firmly believes that India had completed the 330MW Kishanganga project during the “paused” period required for the constitution of a Court of Arbitration (COA) as requested by Pakistan in early 2016.

There is a widely-held perception that the World Bank is biased against Pakistani because a number of Indians are occupying top positions in the World Bank headquarters in Washington.

According to the Treaty, in case of a dispute the Water Commissioners of the two countries would attempt to resolve it first and, if differences remain, then a neutral expert is appointed. If either of the Commissioners decides that the dispute remains unresolved then it is referred to Court of Arbitration with the cooperation of the World Bank.

The sources said, the World Bank argues that the first neutral expert should separate the nature of issues falling under the jurisdiction of neutral expert and Court of Arbitration.

However, Pakistan during the talks stressed that its objections on the projects’ designs are of technical and judicial nature and should be sorted out by the Court of Arbitration. Pakistan is now waiting for response from the World Bank.—MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN