Indus Commissioners of India and Pakistan to gather on March 23 to 24

India and Pakistan, Indus Commissioners have decided to meet on March 23-24 in New Delhi, a top official said on Sunday.
Pradeep Kumar Saxena, Commissioner (Indus), who will represent India in the meeting told. “The annual meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) will be held on March 23-24 in New Delhi.”
“We are committed towards full utilization of India’s rights under the treaty and believe in amicable solution of issues through discussion,” Saxena said.
This is going to be the first meeting of Indus Commissioners after a gap of two and a half years. The last meeting of the India-Pakistan Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan from August 29-30, 2018.
According to the Indus Waters Treaty, approved between India and Pakistan in 1960, the Commission should meet “regularly at least once a year, alternately in India and Pakistan”. This regular annual meeting should be carried in November or other months as may be accepted by the Commissioners of both countries which is one of the provisions of the treaty.
The Commission was programmed to meet in March last year but it had to cancel the meeting because of the outbreak of the Covid 19. Later, India offered to conduct the meeting virtually but the Pakistan side wanted to hold the meeting at the Attari check post. But, the Indian side informed them that it is not favorable to hold the meeting at the Attari Joint Check Post due to the pandemic.
As of now the coronavirus situation is improving, so both countries have agreed to hold the talk with all Covid-related protocols, Saxena said. The Pakistan representation will be led by Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah, Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.
During the meeting, Pakistan’s complaints on the design of Indian hydropower projects on the Chenab River will be addressed, Saxena said.