India, Pak request UN, others to appoint Kishenganga umpires

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) India and Pakistan have written to
the United Nations and other prominent international bodies
to name neutral umpires for efforts to settle their dispute
over Jammu and Kashmir-based Kishenganga hydel project.
Representatives of the two countries, who had met here
last month, had agreed to take the services of the UN
Secretary General, Rector, Imperial College of Science and
Technology, London, and Lord Justice of England to decide on
the three umpires, including the chairman.
Sources in the government told PTI on Thursday that New
Delhi and Islamabad have written letters to the three
personalities to name the umpires needed to settle their case
in an international court of arbitration.
"The letters from the two sides have been dispatched and
were a response is awaited," the sources said.
While the Secretary General of the UN will name the
Chairman, the Rector of Imperial College will decide on the
umpire (engineering). The Lord Justice of England will name
the umpire (legal).
As per the provisions of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty,
once the process of arbitration is initiated by any of the two
countries, the three umpires, including the chairman, have to
be appointed within 60 days.
If the two countries fail to appoint umpires, the two
parties prepare a draw of lots and request a "person"
mentioned in the Treaty to select the umpire.
India and Pakistan had failed to reach consensus on the
names of three neutral umpires for the International Court of
Arbitration which will decide on resolution of dispute over
Kishenganga.
The two countries have already nominated two legal
experts (arbitrators) each to contest their case over the
power project being built in north Indian state Jammu and
Kashmir.
Accusing India of breaching the provisions of the 1960
Indus Water Treaty by diverting the water of the Jhelum
tributary for its Kishenganga hydel power project, Pakistan
sought international arbitration in May this year after the
two countries failed to resolve the issue bilaterally for over
two decades. PTI NAB
MYR