Another battle in ICJ looms

ISLAMABAD - Blatant breach of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in much-debated Nimoo-Buzgo hydro-electric project has forced Islamabad to gear up its efforts to get registered a case against Delhi in International Court of Justice (ICJ) soon. The sources privy to the development informed The Nation on Friday that Pakistan is expected to approach the ICJ against the controversial 45mw Nimoo-Buzgo power project being built on the Indus River, involving construction of dam, coffer dam, diversion channel, power house and other defined facilities. They further revealed that Water and Power Ministry has now given its approval on the summary recommendations of IWC seeking to approach International Court of Justice against sheer violation of IWT being allegedly committed by India in its much controversial Nimoo-Buzgo Hydro-electric project. They informed that Power Ministry has sent this summary to the Prime Minister for final nod. It is also leant that the Indian government has so far not removed the five objections mainly on the pondage level, spillways and silt flushing outlet, etc earlier bilaterally raised in various meetings of the Indus River Commission. A delegation headed by the Acting Indus Water Commissioner on October 2nd visited the site of Nimoo-Buzgo Hydroelectric Project and found utter violation of Indus Basin Water Treaty 1960. Earlier, the acting Indus Water Commissioner had submitted its report to Water & Power Ministry for further process and it was then expected that Pakistan would approach ICJ third time against the breach of IWT by the Indian government. It is testimony of the fact that former Indus Water Commissioner Syed Jamaat Ali Shah had ignored this Indian project in time but India has continued the work on this 45 MW project on very fast track basis so it is possible that India would be able to operational this project by July this year. Sources in Water and Power Ministry have also informed that according to a report received in Power Ministry, Syed Jamaat Ali Shah is responsible in this regard. It is relevant to mention that Nimoo-Buzgo power project situated at village Alchi, 70 kilometres from Leh in the Indian occupied state of Jammu and Kashmir, was initially planned to start generation of 45MW hydropower electricity. Pakistan had already approached ICJ against the sheer violation of IWT in the construction of Baglihar dam and Kishan Ganga Dam so it would be a third attempt of Pakistan to awake the ICJ from the deep slumber against the persistent violations of Indus Water Treaty by India.

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