India issues notice to Pakistan seeking modification to Indus Waters Treaty
New Delhi, Jan 27 (PTI) India has issued a notice to Pakistan for modification of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in view of Islamabad’s “intransigence” in the implementation of the pact, inked over six decades back for matters relating to cross-border rivers, government sources said on Friday.
The notice sent on January 25 through respective commissioners for Indus waters, is set to open up the process for making changes to the treaty that was inked on September 19, 1960, they said.
India and Pakistan signed the treaty after nine years of negotiations, with the World Bank being a signatory of the pact which sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two sides on the use of waters of a number of cross-border rivers.
“The objective of the notice for modification is to provide Pakistan an opportunity to enter into intergovernmental negotiations within 90 days to rectify the material breach of IWT. This process would also update IWT to incorporate the lessons learned over the last 62 years,” said a source.
It is learnt that India issued the notice in view of Pakistan’s “intransigence” on a solution to the differences over the Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects. The notice was sent as per provisions of Article XII (3) of IWT.
