💧 World Bank rejects Pakistan's proposal, refuses to mediate water dispute with India
💧Pakistan had requested the World Bank to appoint the Court of Arbitration (COA) on two hydropower projects in India.
💧In 1960, the World Bank agreed to mediate to resolve the water dispute between the two countries.
Islamabad
Pakistan has received a major setback from the World Bank. The bank has refused to mediate the water dispute between India and Pakistan for years. The World Bank has bluntly told Pakistan that both countries should consider the appointment of a neutral expert or court arbitration. There is nothing we can do in this dispute.
World Bank turned down Pakistan's request
On completing his five-year term in Islamabad, Petchmuthu Ilangovan, former World Bank director for Pakistan, said that both India and Pakistan needed to work together to resolve the dispute. Let us tell that Pakistan had requested the World Bank to appoint the Court of Arbitration (COA) on two hydropower projects in India.
Pakistan objected to these two projects of India
Pakistan has objections to India's 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project and 850 MW Ratle hydroelectric project. Whereas India says that we are conducting these projects for the development of Jammu and Kashmir as per World Bank rules.
What is the dispute between the two countries
Since independence in 1947, the dispute over water started in both countries. Actually, the Indus water system which includes the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers flows in both India and Pakistan. Pakistan alleges that India exploits water by building dams on these rivers and there are drought conditions due to the scarcity of water in its area.
The Indus Water Agreement was signed through World Bank's arbitration
When the dispute between the two countries over water increased, in 1949, David Lilianthal, an American expert and former head of the Tennessee Valley Authority, suggested to resolve it technically. After giving his opinion, in September 1951, Eugene Robert Blake, then President of the World Bank, agreed to mediate to resolve the dispute. After which on 19 September 1960, Indus Water Agreement was signed between India and Pakistan.
