India, Pak teams begin joint survey on Sir Creek

The base camp for the Indian team is at Koteshwar on the Kori Creek, while that of the Pakistani team is at Rathopir-Liyakatali Border Observation Post (BoP) of Pakistan Marine Agency.

Sources further added that the 10-member team consisting of Army, Navy, Coast Guard and BSF officials left for Sir Creek in a Coast Guard ship in the morning to hold preliminary talks with the Pakistani team that had come by boats from their side of the border, which were being held somewhere at the mouth of the creek. This time only the watery portion of the creek will be surveyed. Everyday till February 15, the teams will be coming to the point from their respective base camps.

According to sources, the survey work in the marshy G-Pillar area was easy as the pillars raised some 100 years ago between Sindh and the then princely state of Kutch existed to be counted. But after pillar number 46 nothing is visible on the surface of water to demarcate the maritime border. Sources said a decision on this would in turn lead to a decision on area of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of both the countries.

EEZ is rich in fish and said to be containing huge reserves of oil and gas.The area is totally uninhabited, but Pakistan showed much interest and raised the issue as there could be economic gains from from this region. More the area it gets, more would be its economic benefits. It is for this reason that Pakistan insists that the eastern bank of the Sir Creek should be the maritime boundary between the two countries. The Sir Creek is some 8-km wide and accepting the demand of the Pakistan would mean shifting the existing border on the Indian side of the creek.