Pakistan has urged the World Bank to fulfil its responsibility under Indus Water Treaty (IWT) and empanelment court of arbitration for resolution of water disputes with India following Modi government threatened to stop the country's share of water under the treaty on the pretext of 'supporting terror groups.' Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal told his weekly media briefing on Thursday that Pakistan is involved in the dispute resolution mechanism in the World Bank.
He was commenting on the recent statement by Indian minister for road transport and highways, shipping and water resources Nitin Gadkari who stated that the government will stop India's share of water flowing into Pakistan "if the neighbouring country does not stop supporting terror groups."
"We have already started a study into the matter. The water that will be stopped from flowing into Pakistan will be given to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan," Gadkari said at a press conference in Amritsar on Wednesday.
Dr Faisal said that Indus Waters Treaty has been signed by both the countries and India has been in violation of that Treaty in the case of Kishanganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Power Projects.
"We have already raised this matter at the dispute resolution mechanism of the World Bank. However, the matter has not been resolved, as yet," he said.
He stated that Pakistan wishes that the Indus Waters Treaty should be allowed to function and the dispute resolution mechanism should take its due course. "We urge the World Bank to empanel the Court of Arbitration, so that a resolution is reached in this regard", he added.
About any possibility of meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi with his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers Meeting on May 21-22 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the spokesperson said that there is no formal request for the meeting between the two foreign ministers, adding that there might be a handshake.
He declined to comment on the recent remarks by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his December 25, 2015 surprise visit to Lahore along with a huge delegation to attend former premier Nawaz Sharif's grand daughter's wedding ceremony, saying, "It is a sensitive issue".
"Pakistan desires good relations with India. Since there are elections going on in India, that's why I cannot comment on this issue at this stage," he added. Prime Minister Modi had arrived in Lahore on December 25, 2015 for a meeting with the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a surprise visit to the country -the first visit to Pakistan by an Indian premier in more than a decade.
Commenting on the huge increase in India's defence budget, the spokesperson said that move will push the region into an arms race.
About the continued Indian atrocities in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Faisal said that Indian forces have continued the worst human rights violations and arrests of the Kashmiri leaders and youth are going unchecked.
He said that Pakistan has consistently been raising Kashmir dispute at all the international forums to highlight the plight of oppressed Kashmiri people at the international fora.
About the recent terror attacks from the Afghan side inside Pakistani territory, he said Pakistan has conveyed its strong reservations regarding continued presence of such nefarious elements in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan has urged the Afghan government to take action against these elements. He said that Pakistan has suffered immensely in the war on terrorism and it will continue to play its role for eradication of the menace of terrorism.
About Afghan peace process, he said that Pakistan has always advocated for peaceful settlement of the Afghan conflict through an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. To another query, the spokesperson confirmed that Aasia Bibi has left the country, saying she is a free citizen and she left the country on her own free will.
About the rising tension between the United States and Iran, he said that Pakistan is closely watching the situation and desiring that the issue is resolved through dialogue. About the situation in Libya, he said Pakistan's mission is in touch with the representatives of Pakistani community and has advised them to get registered with the embassy for prompt coordination in case of any emergency situation.
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