India, Pakistan fail to reach pact on water
Pakistani and Indian officials ended their two-day talks on Friday without reaching an agreement on the ongoing dispute over a barrage that India is constructing on the river Jhelum in the Kashmir region.
After the talks in Islamabad, India's Secretary Water J. Hari Narayan and his Pakistani counterpart Ashfaq Mehmood, however, described their meeting as "constructive".
The talks had provided a "better understanding of each other's view", a joint statement issued after the meeting said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. India started building the Wullar barrage in its part of Kashmir in 1984, drawing strong protest from Pakistan, which termed it a violation of the Indus Water Treaty they had signed in 1960 to resolve disputes over water-sharing.
The treaty allocates waters of three western rivers - the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - to Pakistan while India has rights over three eastern rivers - Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.
Comments