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ISLAMABAD:\u00a0The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is considered one of the most successful water-sharing endeavours in the world. But it is at stake today. Reason: The World Bank, which had brokered the treaty between Pakistan and India in 1960, has apparently buckled under New Delhi\u2019s pressure.<\/p>\n
On December 13, the World Bank announced a pause in the separate processes initiated by India and Pakistan under the treaty to allow the two countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements. The current processes under the treaty concern the 330-megawatt Kishanganga and 850-megawatt Ratle hydroelectric power projects being built by India on the Kishanganga and Chenab rivers.<\/p>\n
Officials and experts say the World Bank has no mandate to ask Islamabad and
\nNew Delhi to resolve their water-related issue bilaterally. At the same time, they \u00a0say Pakistan has itself to blame for the dilemma it faces today.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe World Bank\u2019s role is limited to facilitating the appointment of chairman court of arbitration,\u201d Kamal Majidullah, the prime minister\u2019s former special assistant on water resources, told\u00a0The Express Tribune<\/em>.<\/p>\n However, Majidullah said it was a wrong decision by the incumbent government to approach the World Bank. \u201cPakistan should have knocked at the door of International Court of Arbitration,\u201d he added. \u201cIndia preferred the World Bank because it had won a favourbale decision from a neutral expert nominated by the bank on the Baglihar hydroelectric power project built by India on the Chenab river.\u201d<\/p>\n He said the United Nations secretary general and the World Bank had a mandate to appoint a chairman court of arbitration. \u201cIn the case of Kishanganga, the UN secretary general had already appointed a chairman court of arbitration,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Officials say the non-serious attitude of the Pakistan government has led to the situation where Pakistan has again been forced to hold talks with India even though Premier Narendra Modi has repeatedly threatened to run Pakistan dry.<\/p>\n They cite the change in Pakistan\u2019s stance at the World Bank as a reason for the IWT guarantor to give in to the Indian pressure. Premier Nawaz Sharif\u2019s predecessor had approved a summary in 2009 to petition the World Bank to act as a neutral expert over the design of Kishanganga dam.<\/p>\n