- Says water dispute can lead to dangerous situation
ISLAMABAD, May 25: The Foreign Office on Friday said the inauguration of Kishanganga dam by India without resolution of the disputes is a violation of the Indus Water Treaty.
FO spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal during his weekly news briefing in Islamabad today (Friday) said the World Bank had assured Pakistan it would make utmost efforts to resolve the Kishanganga and Ratle dams issue within the parameters of the treaty.
Dr Faisal stated that Pakistan had effectively raised the issue of Kishanganga project to resolve it according to the dispute resolution mechanism available as per the treaty.
He further said water issues can lead to a ‘very dangerous situation’ hence it is necessary to resolve these problems in accordance with the IWT spirit.
Dr Faisal said security-related US assistance had served the mutual interest of stability in the region.
He said Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and clearing of its territory from all sorts of terrorist networks was a testimony that the US assistance for capacity building of Pakistan’s law enforcement and security agencies had helped achieve the shared objectives of peace and stability in the region.
The FO spokesperson, however, said the security-related US assistance, including the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) reimbursement to Pakistan, was suspended earlier this year.
“US assistance on the civilian economic side has continued with both sides engaged in undertaking collaborative projects and programs,” he observed.
Dr Faisal noted that United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) should be allowed to perform its duty on Indian side of the Line of Control to check human rights violations by New Delhi in Occupied Kashmir.
In response to a question, Faisal said Pakistan wanted to exist in a peaceful neighborhood for the socioeconomic development of the people of the region. He, however, said Pakistan would not be oblivious to the imperative of safeguarding its national security.
He said the continued denial of visas to Pakistani artists and authors hamper people-to-people contacts, which are an essential prerequisite to promote peace and tolerance in the region. – Agencies/NNI
