ISLAMABAD: Pakistan went to World Bank on Tuesday amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the international lender who had mediated the water-sharing deal.
A delegation of the Government of Pakistan led by the Attorney General for Pakistan, Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met with senior officials of the World Bank at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington DC, to discuss matters relating to Pakistan’s recent Request for Arbitration given to India pursuant to Article IX of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960, Geo News reported.
The report also said Pakistan approached the International Court of Justice, but did not provide any details.
On 19 August, Pakistan had formally requested India for settlement of outstanding disputes+ pertaining to India’s construction of Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants on rivers Neelum and Chenab respectively, by referring the matters to the Court of Arbitration as provided in Article IX of the Treaty.
Under the treaty, the World Bank has an important role in establishment of the Court of Arbitration by facilitating the process of appointment of three judges, called Umpires, to the Court, while each country appoints two arbitrators.
