Lahore, Pakistan: Indo-Pak talks resume over Indus Water Treaty (IWT) after a pause as 10-member Indian delegation reached Pakistan for two-day meeting of Permanent Indus Commission.
The Indian delegation is headed by Commissioner of Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) PK Saxena who reached Pakistan via Wagha border and will hold talks in Islamabad on Monday.
The meeting will continue for two days and will discuss other regular water issues including construction of controversial Kishan Ganga Dam.
Sources believe that both sides are open to discuss every issue related with Indus Water Treaty without compromising their legal positions.
Indus Water Treaty confirms that both countries would hold at least one meeting a year but talks were suspended due to tense relation between the two neighbours last year.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi threw a surprise to the world by giving a statement that he did not accept half a century old Indus Water Treaty and said that he would not allow Indian waters to flow towards Pakistan.
Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is an international obligation under 1960s treaty signed by both the countries to share water resources in sub-continent.
Pakistan believes that India is building over 11 dams against the treaty on rivers flowing to Pakistan those have been granted to Pakistan under IWT. India claims that it is not doing anything in contradiction to Treaty and it is constructing hydro-electricity projects on run of river water and it has a right to use this opportunity. However Pakistan says that India is diverting waters Indus, Chenab and Jhelum rivers though waters of these western rivers fall under the exclusive right of Pakistan.
Sources say that meeting between the two countries would have two sessions and will conclude on March 21. Authorities of both countries are reluctant to share agenda of the meeting. Sources say that ice is melting between the two countries and experts wish to avoid to issue statement that can be seen in a negative way by hawkish media of both the countries.
