NEW DELHI: Amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, Indiahas thrown yet another spoiler.
A reciprocal visit by the Indian team to Pakistan for inspection ofprojects in Indus River basin this month has been postponed, seniorofficials said on Sunday.
During the 115th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held in Lahorefrom August 29-30, 2018, both the commissioners had agreed to undertake thetreaty-mandated tours of the Indus basin on both sides, the official said.
The tour of the Pakistani side was originally scheduled in October 2018 butwas postponed because of local bodies elections in held Kashmir.
Subsequently, the Pakistani team visited India in the last week of Januaryto inspect projects in the Chenab basin in the state.
Pakistani Indus Commissioner Syed Mohammad Mehar Ali Shah and IndianCommissioner PK Saxena along with respective advisers visited theunder-construction Indian hydropower projects in Chenab basin namely PakalDul (1000 MW), Ratle (850 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW).
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The delegation also visited the under-operation Baglihar hydroelectricproject (900 MW). The Pakistani commissioner extended an invitation to hiscounterpart to undertake a visit of the Indus basin on the Pakistani side.
The Indian team was supposed to visit Pakistan this month, a seniorofficial said. “But amid the on-going tension it has now been postponed,”the official added.
The official remained non-committal about the date, but said the visit hasto take place by March 2020.
Under Article VIII of the treaty, both commissioners are mandated toundertake, once every five years, a general tour of inspection of therivers for ascertaining the facts connected with various developments andworks on both sides.
