Islamabad: Pakistan has said it would seek damages from India for the loss of 0.2 million acre feet of waters due to the alleged blocking of the Chenab river flow to fill the Baglihar dam and threatened to take up the issue with the World Bank again if not compensated.

Pakistan s Indus Waters Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah has said he will press for the compensation when he meets his Indian counterpart during an upcoming visit to India. Shah is scheduled to inspect the Baglihar dam in Jammu and Kashmir and participate in a meeting of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters during the visit.

Islamabad has alleged that New Delhi "completely blocked supply of regular water" or 23,000 cusecs a day to Pakistan from Chenab river last month to fill Baglihar dam. It claimed that this curtailed Pakistan s share of irrigation water.

Shah told Dawn newspaper that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty was between two nations, and not two persons, and should not be taken lightly or violated.

"We must respect this treaty as responsible nations. I tell you there are no guarantors in bilateral agreements between nations, but the nations concerned are its guarantors," he replied when asked whether the treaty has any guarantors as the World Bank, which arbitrated it, has cleared its position by describing its status as that of a "mediator".

Shah will lead a Pakistani delegation to New Delhi on October 18 to discuss the alleged violation of the treaty by India. He said the meeting of the commission would be the first step in resolving water issues related to the Treaty.

It would be premature to say anything about the outcome but Pakistan reserves the right to take up the issue with the World Bank again if India refuses to compensate it, Shah said.
Source : PTI