Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan taking historic view of Baglihar dam issue on Thursday said Pakistan had been trying to get the dispute settled with India through laid down bilateral mechanism right from 1992. Speaking in a PTV programme News Morning he said, from 1992 to 1999, Pakistan had been trying to convince India that the dam was being built on specifications, which were contrary to the Indus Water Treaty.
He added in 1999, Pakistan brought the issue on the agenda of Permanent Indus Commission and the efforts were made during 2000 to discuss it properly.
Throughout this period the Indians had been using delaying tactics the spokesman said adding that in 2003 Pakistan decided to approach World Bank for the appointment of independent experts.
He said the Indians on being informed by Pakistan about that decision showed willingness to discuss the issue at the forum of Permanent Indus Commission.
Talks were held during August 2003 wherein Pakistan made three demands, which include immediate stoppage of construction work on the dam, permission of inspection to Pakistan in accordance with the Treaty and final settlement of the issue, by December 31, 2003, he added.
Masood Khan further said India accepted the demand of inspection and Pakistan's Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah, after visiting the site in October 2003, found the design of the dam was contrary to the parameters laid down in Indus Water Treaty.
Last year, Pakistan again decided to approach the World Bank but Indian External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh desired a round of talks between the Water Secretaries of both the countries. Talks were held between the two countries at Water Secretaries' level in June last year, he said.
Apparently, it was a good opportunity for the two countries but the Indians, in line with their past tradition, once again began to use delaying tactics.
Pakistan's leadership, once again, decided to approach the World Bank, he said adding but on November 24, 2004 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh convinced Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz for another effort to solve that issue through bilateral mechanism.
Pakistan accepted this offer as a last ditch effort but there occurred no change in the manifest attitude of India, he said.
The fact was that, India wanted to complete construction work on the dam by keeping Pakistan engaged in useless talks process, he said adding the Indians also wanted to restrict Pakistan from approaching the World Bank through those tactics.
He said Pakistan was firmly resolved to approach the World Bank, then, and preparations in that regard were underway.
To a question he said if the dam was constructed on its existing specifications, it would have manifold harmful affects on Pakistan.
Explaining, he said the dam was designed to have 165,000-acre feet storage capacity to which India could manipulate.
It could also minimise the flow of water into Pakistan which could have serious adverse affects on our distribution system, he added.
To another question, he said after the appointment of neutral experts, they would first of all determine as what the dispute was and whose rights had been violated.
He said it would be binding for both the countries to comply with the findings of neutral experts.
Ironically, he said the Indians were hesitant to reply the technical concerns raised by Pakistan adding they talked about political compulsions which were baseless.
He elaborated that Indians said the dams were being constructed in other parts of the country and if the construction of Baglihar dam was stopped, the people in those parts would also make similar demands.
They do not realise the fact that construction of Baglihar dam was in violation of tripartite treaty while the situation in other parts was not the same, he said.
Secondly, they said the Kashmiris would get angry if construction of Baglihar dam was topped, the Spokesman said adding the reality on ground was that Kashmiris were living under forced Indian yoke facing worst kind of state suppression and were struggling for independence. He said prominent Kashmiri leaders like Syed Ali Gilani, Shabir Shah, Abdul Ghani Bhat and many others had already endorsed Pakistan's position in that regard.
The Indian Prime Minister had recently stated that both India and Pakistan should 'come out of the box' to solve their bilateral disputes, he said adding it was ripe time for India to practically demonstrate that vision.
To another question, he said the continuation of Indo-Pak composite dialogue was in mutual interest of India, Pakistan and of course the Kashmiri people adding the international community was wisely encouraging that process.