Sir Creek: India, Pak to survey waters from today

Brigadier Samudra, head of the state wing of the Survey General of India, has already arrived here for the survey. He will be joined by a 10-member team of hydrologists from the Indian Navy for the month-long survey.

This time the joint survey will be limited to waters of the Sir Creek. The Indian team will camp at Koteshwar on the Kori Creek while their Pakistani counterparts will set up base at Rathopir Liyakatali border observation post of the Pakistan Marine Agency.

“Both survey teams are almost 30 nautical miles from the mouth of Sir Creek. They will have to come in by boats during the tide, which is limited to six hours during the day and six hours at night,” a source said.

Almost a century ago, pillars were raised in the marshy area of the Sir Creek to demarcate the borders between the then Sind province and the princely state of Kutch. But, as of now, the waters are not demarcated after pillar number 46.

Demarcating the border will help identify the Exclusive Economic Zone of each country, so that they can start exploring the huge oil and gas reserves.

THE TWO SIDES

• Based on the records of the erstwhile Sindh government Pakistan insist that the eastern Bank of the Sir Creek should be the maritime boundary

• Quoting prevalent international laws, India says the middle of the creek should constituted the border