On Wednesday, Pakistan claimed the World Bank has "committed" itself to "timely fulfilling its obligations" under the Indus Water Treaty while remaining neutral as Islamabad approached the international lender amid reports that India may revoke the 56-year-old deal.
Pakistan had approached the International Court of Justice, on Tuesday, amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty, Geo News reported.
A Pakistani delegation led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali met senior officials of the World Bank at its headquarters in Washington DC to discuss matters relating to Pakistan’s recent request for arbitration in keeping with Article IX of the Indus Water Treaty, 1960.
They discussed "the formation of Court of arbitration for resolving the matter of water disputes especially those related to construction of hydropower projects", Pakistan's Ministry of Water and Power said in a statement.
"The World Bank will be deciding the issue in the next few days," it added.
Pakistan Asks World Bank to Speed up Setting up of Court of Arbitration
On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India to settle outstanding disputes pertaining to India’s construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on the Neelum and Chenab rivers respectively, by referring the issues to the Court of Arbitration.
Under the Treaty, the World Bank has an important role in the establishment of the Court of Arbitration as it facilitates the process of appointment of three judges to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.
The Pakistani officials met World Bank officials to insist on speedy appointment of the judges and empanelment of the court, the report said.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani and World Bank’s Executive Director for Pakistan, Nasir Khosa, were also present at the meeting.
During the meeting, the World Bank committed itself to timely fulfilling its obligations under the Treaty while remaining neutral, the report said.
Attempt by India to Block Rivers Could Be Seen as Act of War: Sartaj Aziz
Under the Treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, waters of six rivers – Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum – were to be shared between the two countries.
The treaty provides specific design criteria for any hydroelectric power plants to be built by India. Pakistan claims that the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants violate the design parameters of the treaty.
Earlier, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, said an attempt by India to block water to Pakistan could be seen as “an act of war”.
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with senior officials to review provisions of the Indus Water Treaty. In the meeting, it was decided that India will “exploit to the maximum” its share of rivers flowing into Pakistan, including the Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact.
The meeting came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water-sharing deal to mount pressure on the country.
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