Indian delegation reaches Lahore for water talks with Pakistan

The delegation led by Water Commissioner PK Saxena reached Pakistan through the Wagah border to attend the talks to be held on August 29-30

A nine-member Indian delegation reached Lahore on Tuesday for the two-day Pakistan-India Permanent Indus Commission talks scheduled to be held on  August 29-30. The delegation led by Water Commissioner PK Saxena reached Pakistan through Wagah border to attend the two-day water talks resuming on Wednesday.

Pakistan Water Commissioner Syed Mehr Ali Shah welcomed the Indian delegation at the border, Dawn reported.

Shah will be leading his side during the discussions to be held at the Lahore headquarters of the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak).

According to a Dawn report, Pakistan will reiterate its “serious objections” over two water storage and hydropower projects being built by India on Chenab river. These are Pakal Dul and 48MW Lower Kalnai hydroelectric projects.

Islamabad has objected to the designs of the projects.

Quoting a government official, the Dawn report said Pakistan would raise its concerns over the construction of the projects despite Islamabad’s objections. Pakistan has demanded that India should either modify the designs to make them compliant to the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty or put the projects on hold until both nations reach an agreement.

During the talks, the two sides are also likely to finalise the schedule of future meetings of the commission and visits of the commissioners’ teams. The water commissioners of the two countries are required to meet twice a year and arrange technical visits to the project sites and critical river head works.

The two-day session is also expected to discuss ways and means for timely and smooth sharing of hydrological data on shared rivers.