Indus Waters Treaty violation: Hope Pak will see reason in India's suggestions on way forward, says MEA

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup on Saturday said the visit of a team from Pakistan led by the Water and Power Secretary to New Delhi on July 14-15 was in response to India pointing out to Pakistan that the latter was violating provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.

"The latter was violating provisions of the treaty in rushing to a third forum without attempting to avail treaty provisions for amicably resolving matters of mutual concern pertaining to two hydro-electric projects - Kishenganga (330 MW on Jhelums tributary) and Ratle (850 MW on Chenab)", said Swarup in response to a question on the inter-governmental water negotiations between India and Pakistan.

He further said during the talks both sides stated their views at the government level. "We hope that the Pakistan side will see reason in our suggestions on the way forward," he added.

Pakistan has threatened to move the International Court of Arbitration (ICA) to restrain India from building two major hydropower projects on the Jhelum and the Chenab, to which India said Pakistan was violating the Indus Waters Treaty provisions by going to a third party, while asking it to refrain from doing so.