Indo-Pak water meet on Monday

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) In the first Indo-Pak
interaction after Mumbai terror attacks, the Indus Water
Commission will meet here on Monday to discuss water-sharing
issues amid Islamabad's demand for compensation for alleged
choking of water supply of Chenab river by New Delhi.

The Pakistani delegation, led by its Indus Water
Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah, arrived here today for the
discussions with Indian counterpart G Ranganathan.

The three-day talks will be the first interaction
between India and Pakistan since the Mumbai attacks for which
terrorists based in that country were responsible.

India has suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan
and said it could be resumed only after Islamabad takes
concrete action to punish those behind the 26/11 strikes and
dismantles the terror infrastructure existing on its soil.

"The two sides will hold annual talks on issues relating
to sharing of water as per the Indus River Treaty (of 1960),"
a senior Water Resources Ministry official told PTI.

The two sides are expected to discuss sharing of Chenab
river water in the backdrop of allegations by Pakistan that
India had choked the supply in August last year to fill the
newly-constructed Baglihar Dam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pakistan had claimed that it had suffered crop loss due
to less water flow and has been demanding compensation. India
has rejected the charge, citing hydrological data.

Shah is expected to raise the issue of compensation at
the upcoming meeting too, sources said. PTI