Indus water dispute: World Bank President calls Pakistan Finance Minister

The development comes after the Pakistani Minister wrote a letter on December 23

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Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar . File photo

World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim has called Pakistan Finance Minster Ishaq Dar to discuss the latter’s request to help settle the Indus water dispute, sources said. The development comes after the Pakistani Minister wrote a letter to Kim on December 23 urging him to move ahead with the appointment of a chairman of the Court of Arbitration, reports the Dawn.

The letter written by Dar was in response to the World Bank President’s letter of December 12 and their decision to pause the process of empanelment of the Court of Arbitration. Dar, said in his letter, that this decision of the World Bank will seriously prejudice Pakistan’s interests and rights under the Indus Waters Treaty 1960.

The letter said that the matter of appointment of a chairman of the Court of Arbitration has been inordinately delayed. It urged the World Bank to execute its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty. The Finance Minister noted that the pause proposed by the World Bank President will merely prevent Pakistan from approaching a competent forum and having its grievances addressed.

Earlier this month, the World Bank asked both India and Pakistan to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements over the Indus Water Treaty Dispute 1960. The bank said it is temporarily halting the appointment of a neutral expert as requested by India, and the chairman of the Court of Arbitration, as requested by Pakistan, to resolve issues regarding two hydroelectric power plants under construction by India along the Indus Rivers system.

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