Pak, India begin talks on Wullar barrage-Tulbul project

From Rezaul H Laskar
Islamabad, May 12 (PTI) India and Pakistan on Thursday
began two-day talks on water disputes, particularly the Wullar
barrage-Tulbul Navigation project, here as part of their
bilateral dialogue process that was resumed earlier this year.
An Indian delegation led by Water Resources Secretary
Dhruv Vijai Singh arrived in Pakistan late last night for the
talks.
India's Indus Waters Commissioner G Ranganathan is
also a member of the delegation.
The Pakistani side is headed by Water and Power
Secretary Javed Iqbal.
The two sides will discuss Pakistan's objections to
the Tulbul navigation project at the mouth of the Wullar lake
in Jammu and Kashmir.
India started work on the project in 1985 to make the
Jhelum river navigable in summer.
The project was stopped after Pakistan complained that
it violated the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.
Pakistan contended that the project could be used by
India to control the flow of the Jhelum, a charge denied by
New Delhi.
The two countries have held 13 rounds of talks on the
issue so far, including four rounds under the composite
dialogue.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tehmina Janjua has said
that Pakistan hopes that talks with India would bring positive
results.
All outstanding issues related to water sharing,
especially Tulbul navigation project, will be discussed in
detail, she said.
Both countries have had successful dialogue between
their Home and Interior Secretaries and Commerce Secretaries
and there has been "constructive progress" in these talks,
which clearly indicates that both sides are committed to
constructive engagement, Janjua told the media.