New Delhi: Even as Pakistan has firmly stated that it will not accept any alterations or changes to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the Indian government has formed an inter-ministerial task force, to be headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s principal secretary Nripendra Mishra, to look into all the strategic aspects of the IWT with Pakistan.
A formal notification to this effect was issued on Saturday, a top government functionary said, adding that other members of the team include NSA Ajit Doval, foreign secretary S. Jaishankar and secretaries in ministries of finance, environment, power and water resources.
India and Pakistan have also been sparring over disputes regarding the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in J&K under the 1960 treaty.
World Bank expert to study projects
Even as Pakistan has firmly stated that it will not accept any alterations or changes to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the Indian government has formed an inter-ministerial task force to look into all the aspects of the treaty.
In September, India had handed out a veiled threat — without saying so openly — that it could consider reviewing the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 in the wake of Pakistan using terrorism as an instrument of its state policy.
Besides, chief secretaries of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, the states from where the six Indus system rivers flow, will be “invitees” in the task force.
“The task force is mandated with taking all important strategic and policy decisions. It is an all-powerful body which will take decisions regarding the treaty,” the top Indian Government functionary was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, a media report from Washington referred to a Pakistani newspaper that had quoted the special assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Tariq Fatemi, as saying, “Pakistan will not accept any modifications or changes to the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty. Our position is based on the principles enshrined in the treaty. And the treaty must be honoured in...letter and spirit”.
