Islamabad, Jan 16: In the light of thaw in relations, officials of India and Pakistan today began crucial three-day talks to resolve differences over the 450 mw power project being built by India on the River Chenab in Baglihar in Jammu and Kashmir. A six member Indian team, headed by A C Gupta, chairman of the Indian chapter of the Indus Water Commission began talks with a Pakistani team led by Sayed Jamat Ali Shah to resolve the differences over the project.

Pakistan alleges the project is being built in violation of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty.

The talks were seen as a last resort as Pakistan has informed India last month of its intentions to refer the issue to an arbitration by world bank which brokered the treaty to share the waters of different rivers originated from Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the treaty, India has full rights to utilise the river waters of Ravi, Satlaz and bees, while Pakistan has the riparian rights to utilise the waters of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.

Pakistan objects that the power project being built by India at Baglihar to generate power for the local community violated the treaty as it has the gated capacity to block 8000 cusecs of water per day and therefore could cause potential shortage of water for pakistan.
Bureau Report