Sunday, Nov 28, 2004
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India & World
By B. Muralidhar Reddy
ISLAMABAD, NOV. 27 . Pakistan plans to seek the "good offices" of the World Bank to facilitate a bilateral settlement of the issue arising out of India's construction of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Dam over Chenab. Though it does not amount to asking for arbitration, it is for the first time Pakistan will approach a third party for resolution of an issue arising out of the 1960 Indus River Waters Treaty. Negotiated by the World Bank, the treaty has stood the test of time in the worst periods of relations between India and Pakistan. "A decision has been taken in principle by President Pervez Musharraf at the highest level to approach the World Bank on this issue. But as of now we want to settle it bilaterally with India and asking the World Bank only to facilitate a bilateral settlement," the Foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan, told journalists. `India not informed' Pakistan had decided to approach the World Bank after the return of its Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, from his visit to New Delhi. In his interaction with his interlocutors in India, the Pakistan Prime Minister wanted to know if India was ready to address the concerns of Pakistan on increasing the height of the dam on the Indus River, which it believes, is detrimental to its interests. So far, Pakistan has not informed India about its decision to approach the World Bank. The Indian Deputy High Commissioner, T.C.A. Raghavan, who is holding charge in the absence of the High Commissioner, Shivshankar Menon, was invited to the Foreign Office here today and given a letter seeking dates for a meeting between the Water Secretaries of the two countries to iron out the differences. Mr. Raghavan said he has not been informed about any decision by Pakistan to approach the World Bank. According to a Pakistan Foreign Affairs spokesman, "the Pakistan Economic Advisor, Salman Shah, has sent a letter to the World Bank, asking the Bank to use its influence on India so that the issue could be resolved through bilateral talks. We preferred to resolve the matter bilaterally, but there has been no progress," he said. Pakistan's decision to approach the World Bank was also timed to coincide with the meeting between the Indus Treaty Commissioners of both the countries currently being held in Lahore to iron out differences over the construction of Krishanganga dam in Jammu and Kashmir.
We have the right: Khan
"If the bilateral track fails then we will seek a neutral expert through the World Bank," Mr. Khan said. According to him Pakistan has the right to seek the neutral expert's view if it fails to resolve the issue bilaterally.
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