English हिन्दी
Connect with us

Latest world news

India, Pakistan Agree For Mutual Inspection of Indus Basin

Published

on

India, Pakistan Agree For Mutual Inspection of Indus Basin

India has agreed to allow Pakistan to inspect the projects in the Jhelum basin, including Kishanganga hydroelectric project, in the near future and Islamabad will allow New Delhi to carry out inspection of the Kotri barrage over the Indus, reports Dawn on Tuesday.

The leading Pakistani daily referred to the minutes of the 115th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held between the two countries from Aug 29 to 30 in Lahore.

The minutes of the meeting accessed by Dawn says, “Pakistan also urged India to arrange for the Special Tour of Inspection of the projects in Jhelum basin including Kishanganga HEP which is pending since 2014, on which ICIW (India’s Commissioner for Indus Waters) gave his assurance to arrange the same promptly.”

Earlier on Sunday, Shamil Ahmad Khwaja, Pakistan’s Water Resource Secretary reportedly said, “The major breakthrough of the two-day talks held in Lahore is that India has agreed to get the projects’ sites visited by our experts. Therefore, our team comprising experts will visit the sites in India by the end of next month.”

Read More: India, Pakistan enter in controversy over Lahore meet outcome

The minutes the meeting also revealed that the authorities of the two countries were unanimous about strengthening the role of the Permanent Indus Commission. Islamabad also highlighted the need and asked New Delhi to share the information about potential projects at the planning stage for examination, it said.

India, Pakistan Agree For Mutual Inspection of Indus Basin

The document said, “In this way any objections (if raised by Pakistan) can be addressed in the design at the early stage of planning instead of debating with India at belated stage when practically incorporating the requisite changes becomes a challenge.”

Both sides have also agreed to exchange the detailed basis of adopting various design parameters for both 48MW Lower Kalnai and 1000MW Pakal Dul HEPs at the Chenab River.

Read More: India, Pakistan to discuss water dispute in Lahore

“During the meeting both the sides agreed to conduct the General Tours of Inspection which could not be conducted since 2014. In this regard first PCIW (Pakistani Commissioner for Indus Waters) will visit the Chenab basin in the last week of September 2018 followed by the tour of ICIW to the Kotri barrage in the Lower Indus, according to Article VIII (4) (c),” the document revealed.

The two countries also agreed to arrange the next meeting of the commission soon after the tour of inspection on both sides to discuss and endeavour to address Pakistan’s objections on Lower Kalnai and Pakal Dul.

Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement in New Delhi on Friday saying, “Both the countries agreed to undertake the Treaty mandated tours of both the Indus Commissioners in Indus basin on both sides. Deliberations were also held on further strengthening the role of the Permanent Indus Commission for matters under the Treaty.”

Read More: India wins Kishangana battle against Pakistan at International Court

A senior Pakistani official told Dawn on Monday, “Since the talks between the two countries have been restored, Pakistani team may inspect the Kishanganga project on the eve of the next meeting of the permanent commission for the Indus waters in India or before this.”

India, Pakistan Agree For Mutual Inspection of Indus Basin

Responding to a question, the official said that India had no objection on the Kotri barrage in the lower Indus. “Their (Indian experts) visit to Pakistan will be after ending our experts’ inspection of the Lower Kalnai and Pakal Dul projects scheduled by end of this month,” the official said.

“The Indian experts’ visit / inspection of the Kotri barrage is sort of routine one, as they have no objection or concerns in this regard. It is a part of the compilation and exchange of the data by the two countries related to rivers’ flow, water storage, releases, etc,” he added.

Read more: World Bank fails to reach agreement with Pakistan on Indus Waters dispute

In March this year, the officials of the two countries met in New Delhi when both the sides shared details of the water flow and the quantum of water being used under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

In May, India could not reach an agreement with Pakistan to address its concerns regarding the Indus Waters Treaty with India after two-days of talks in Washington which were held days after India inaugurated the Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir.

The 1960 treaty recognizes the World Bank as an arbitrator in water disputes between the two countries as it played a key role in concluding this agreement. It allows India to have control over the water flowing into three eastern rivers- Beas, Ravi and Sutlej, also permitting India to use the water of western rivers-Chenab, Jhelum and Indus. However, it does not allow India to divert the flow of the water.

Read More: Pakistan reaches to World Bank against India on Kishanganga dam

India considers this as a permission to build “run-of-the-river” hydel projects that neither change the course of the river nor deplete the water level downstream.

According to Wikipedia, the Kishanganga Hydroelectric Plant is part of a run-of- the-river hydroelectric scheme that is designed to divert water from the Kishanganga River to a power plant in the Jhelum river basin. It is located 5-km north of Bandipore in Jammu and Kashmir.

The construction of the dam was temporarily halted by International Court of Arbitration (ICA) in October 2011 due to Pakistan’s protest of its effect on the flow of the Kishanganga River, which is known as Neelam River in Pakistan.

Read More:  Dawn: Pakistan lost diplomatic battle on Kishanganga dam

However, in February 2013, the ICA ruled that India could divert all the water leaving a minimum amount to the downstream of the dam for the purpose of environmental flows.

First unit of 110 MW capacity was tested in March this year, while all three units of equal capacity were commissioned and synchronized with the electricity grid by 30 March. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project in May this year.

Read More: Pakistan asks World Bank to vouch India abiding IWT

Latest world news

PM Modi arrives in France for G7 Summit 2026, Trump meeting scheduled on Wednesday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in France for the G7 Summit 2026. A bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump is expected during the summit as leaders discuss major global economic and security challenges.

Published

on

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Évian, France, on Tuesday to participate in the G7 Summit 2026, marking the final leg of his two-nation Europe visit. World leaders have gathered in the French town for discussions on major global challenges, including economic growth, security, technology and international cooperation.

The summit comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions, with developments related to Iran, Ukraine and global economic stability expected to feature prominently in discussions among leaders.

A bilateral meeting between PM Modi and US President Donald Trump is expected on Wednesday on the sidelines of the summit. According to reports, the two leaders are likely to discuss trade, investment, energy cooperation, supply chains, artificial intelligence and broader strategic issues.

Ahead of the summit, PM Modi had said India would represent not only its own interests but also the aspirations of the Global South. India has consistently used international forums to raise issues affecting developing nations, including sustainable development, economic resilience and equitable global growth.

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the three-day summit in Évian, where leaders from G7 nations and invited partner countries are taking part in a series of formal sessions and bilateral engagements. India is among the invited outreach partners attending the gathering.

The expected Modi-Trump meeting is attracting significant attention as it would be their first face-to-face interaction since recent discussions over trade and strategic cooperation. Officials have indicated that economic ties, visa-related matters and regional security issues could feature in the talks.

Continue Reading

Latest world news

Trump says Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons, rejects $300 billion fund claim

Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never possess nuclear weapons under a proposed framework, while dismissing reports that the US would provide Tehran with a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

Published

on

Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to a commitment that it will never develop or possess nuclear weapons, describing it as a central element of a proposed understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump also rejected reports suggesting that the United States planned to provide Iran with a reconstruction or investment package worth $300 billion. He described such claims as false and said no such arrangement had been agreed.

The remarks come as discussions continue over a broader framework aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. According to Trump, the understanding would ensure that Iran remains without nuclear weapons while opening the door for future engagement if the terms are respected.

Questions remain over final agreement details

Despite Trump’s comments, several aspects of the proposed arrangement remain unclear because the full text of the agreement has not yet been made public.

Reports indicate that negotiations have involved discussions on sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and potential economic measures linked to Iran’s compliance with future commitments. However, the exact scope of these provisions has not been officially confirmed.

Another key issue is how compliance would be monitored. Details regarding inspections, verification mechanisms and the handling of Iran’s existing nuclear materials have yet to be fully explained.

Further negotiations expected

Officials have suggested that discussions on technical nuclear matters could continue even after the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding. Such talks would likely focus on implementation and verification measures.

The proposed framework is being closely watched internationally, as any agreement between the United States and Iran could have significant implications for regional stability and global non-proliferation efforts.

For now, Trump has maintained that the core objective remains clear: ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon while denying reports that Washington has committed to a multibillion-dollar reconstruction fund.

Continue Reading

LATEST SPORTS NEWS

USA start FIFA World Cup 2026 with dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay

The USA opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a dominant 4-1 victory against Paraguay, earning three valuable points in Group D.

Published

on

The United States kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the hosts delivered an attacking display to collect all three points and make an early statement in the tournament. The match also marked a significant occasion as the USA hosted part of the World Cup opening festivities before turning attention to the action on the pitch.

The Americans took control early and maintained pressure on Paraguay throughout the contest. Their attacking movement and clinical finishing helped them establish a comfortable lead, while Paraguay struggled to contain the hosts’ pace and creativity in the final third.

USA seize control after fast start

The United States settled quickly and found success going forward, creating several opportunities through quick passing and aggressive pressing. Their attacking approach paid off as they built momentum and gradually stretched Paraguay’s defence.

Paraguay attempted to respond and managed to get on the scoresheet, but the South American side found it difficult to match the intensity shown by the hosts. The USA continued to create chances and added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.

With the victory, the United States moved to the top section of Group D and gained an important boost in confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.

Strong opening result for hosts

A winning start is particularly important in a World Cup campaign, and the USA achieved exactly that with a comprehensive performance. The result gives the hosts valuable momentum as they prepare for the next stage of group play.

For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament featuring an expanded format and more participating teams than previous editions.

Continue Reading

Trending

© Copyright 2022 APNLIVE.com