Pak to approach WB over water sharing issue with India

Pakistan is now considering various options,including approaching the World Bank,the guarantor of the Indus Waters Treaty,to appoint an arbitrator or neutral expert to resolve differences with India on sharing of river waters and the Kishanganga project,he said in response to a question.

To another query on the stance of new US administration on the Kashmir issue,Basit said the “fair resolution of the longstanding Jammu and Kashmir dispute between Pakistan and India is vital for viable peace and stability in the region.”

Pakistan had been telling its international interlocutors about the importance of addressing the “underlying causes” of the Kashmir issue,including political,economic and social issues,he said.

Kashmir is an issue that “needs to be settled,the sooner the better,” he added.

Asked about statements from Indian leaders about Pakistan’s intentions and capacity to counter terrorism,Basit described such remarks as “irresponsible”. He charged that the comments reflected “non-serious attitude of India in coming forward to fight terrorism in cooperation with Pakistan.”

Replying to a question on whether President Asif Ali Zardari would ask his American counterpart Barack Obama during his upcoming visit to the US to halt drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal belt,the spokesman said: “We do have the courage to put across our view points.”

Islamabad had already conveyed its concerns that the drone attacks were “damaging efforts to counter terrorism” and the issue would be discussed again in the trilateral summit of the Presidents of Pakistan,US and Afghanistan to be held in Washington in the first week of May.

Basit said Pakistan had repeatedly made it clear that the drone attacks were counter-productive and that it had differences of opinion with the US on this issue.

Though Pakistan had the resolve to fight terrorism,it did not have enough capacity in the absence of sufficient helicopters and night vision equipment. Pakistan had been engaged with the US for capacity building in this regard,he said.