Islamabad: The World Bank appointed neutral expert Raymond Lafitte to arbitrate on the dispute between India and Pakistan over Baglihar power project will deliver his verdict on February 12.


"Lafitte has communicated that he would announce final determination on February 12 in Vienna," said Pakistan's Water Secretary Ashfaq Mahmood
He has already circulated the draft of his verdict on the project on which Pakistan has raised serious objections.

He was due to deliver his final verdict this month but put it off by two months following strong objections raised by Pakistan during the November 5 hearing in Washington.

Pakistan has objected to his endorsement of the project in principle which Islamabad argued as the violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

Islamabad also objected to the construction of spillway gates built at the bottom of the project. Pakistan opposed the gates saying that they would not only used to store the waters but can be used to inundate its areas in times of hostilities. India defended the construction of the gates to remove the silt.

Lafitte, a Swiss engineer, however has asked India to reduce the height of the project by 1.5 meters and power intake capacity to install the turbines by three meters.

This changes could push the costs of the Rs 4,200 crore project further. India which refused to stop the work on the project being built at Baglihar in Jammu and Kashmir has agreed to carry any changes suggested.