Resolving Kashmir, water issues with India imperative for regional peace: Bashir
March 6th, 2010 - 12:16 pm ICT by ANIIslamabad, Mar.6 (ANI): Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has once again raked up the Kashmir issue, and said peace and stability in South Asia is not possible unless the long pending disputes between India and Pakistan are resolved.
During a meeting with foreign diplomats here, Bashir said India should also come forward to resolve water issues with Pakistan in accordance with the Indus Waters Treaty, and added that Islamabad is committed towards resuming a sustained and meaningful engagement with New Delhi, The Dawn reports.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), inked between India and Pakistan in 1960, provides appointment of a neutral expert by the World Bank as a last option to resolve water related issues between both the countries.
Pakistan has been blaming India for an unsporting attitude during bilateral talks, which were initiated to resolve the impending water dispute.
Pakistan has been opposing the construction of the Kishanganga hydropower project on the Ganga River in Kashmir, which is called Neelum upon entering Pakistan. Pakistan has said that the diversion of the waters of the Neelum is not allowed under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, and it will face a 27 per cent water deficit, when the project gets completed.
Referring to the roadmap for the resumption of composite dialogue, which was tabled before India during the February 25 Foreign Secretary level talks, Bashir said Pakistan is hoping to get a positive response from India as there is no other option but “to talk to each other with clarity and sincerity of purpose.” (ANI)
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- Pak calls India's Kishanganga Dam clear violation of Indus Waters treaty - Nov 12, 2010
- Pak to seek World Bank's help to resolve Kishanganga dispute with India - May 01, 2009
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- Pakistan to move International Court of Arbitration on Kishanganga project - May 03, 2010
Tags: bashir, bilateral talks, composite dialogue, ganga river, hydropower project, india and pakistan, islamabad, iwt, kashmir, kashmir issue, last option, meaningful engagement, peace and stability, regional peace, resumption, salman, South Asia, water deficit, water dispute, water issues