Pak to send experts to site of Indian dams

Islamabad, Feb 22 (PTI) Pakistan wants to send its
experts to the site of dams being built by India on the Indus
river in the Ladakh region to assess whether the projects are
in compliance with the provisions of a water-sharing treaty.

A request will soon be submitted to Indian authorities
for allowing a team of experts, led by Jamaat Ali Shah,
Commissioner of the Pakistan Commission of Indus Water, to
assess whether the dams conform to provisions in the Indus
Waters Treaty of 1960.

The decision to send the experts was made during a
meeting chaired by Shah in Lahore Saturday. Officials from
the Water and Power Development Authority, Irrigation
Department and Met Office attended the meeting to discuss the
impact of the dams on Pakistan's water and defence interests.

The meeting was convened after the armed forces expressed
concerns over the dams.

The armed forces were reportedly alarmed that the
projects could "play havoc with the Northern Areas" if the
dams "collapsed for any reason or malfunction", 'The News'
daily reported.

A senior official, who participated in the meeting, said
the Pakistan Commission of Indus Water would asked its Indian
counterpart to arrange an immediate visit by the experts.

The projects that were discussed at the meeting include
the Nimoo Bazgo hydro-power project, Dumkhar project and
Chutak project. PTI RHL
RKM