Pak decides against Indian offer of suppling power: report

From Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, Jul 23 (PTI) Pakistan has reportedly
decided not to take up an Indian offer to supply electricity
because of strategic reasons, with officials claiming such a
move could give "legitimacy" to disputed power projects in
north Indian state Jammu and Kashmir.
The Senate or upper house of parliament was informed
Friday by Power Minister Syed Naveed Qamar that his
ministry was considering the Indian offer to sell electricity.
In a written reply, he said the government is trying
to determine if the proposal is feasible.
However, the Dawn newspaper quoted its sources as
saying that officials had already decided not to proceed with
the offer "because doing so could lend legitimacy to the
Indian power projects" in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Pakistan has already filed appeals against the
Kishanganga hydropower project in the Court of Arbitration at
The Hague," said an unnamed official of the power ministry.
The next hearing is expected to be held in the first
week of August.
"India has massive electricity shortages but they want
to sell some power to Pakistan. This will strengthen their
claims in the court that they are producing cheap electricity
and sharing the gains with Pakistan," the official claimed.
During talks between the Commerce Secretaries of India
and Pakistan in April, the two sides agreed to set up a group
of experts to examine the feasibility, scope and modalities
for a new initiative to enable trade of electricity. PTI RHL
KAP