Pakistan Slams PM Modi's Kashmir Visit, Objects Construction of Hydroelectric Projects

NEW DELHI: Pakistan has objected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kashmir and laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects on the Chenab river, which it claimed was a "direct contravention" of the Indus Waters Treaty.

Meanwhile, Pakistan criticised the laying of foundation stones for the construction of the Rattle and Kwar Hydroelectric Projects (HEP) on the Chenab River in Kashmir.

"The construction of Rattle hydroelectric plant, as designed by India, has been disputed by Pakistan, and for Kwar Hydroelectric Plant India has so far not fulfilled its Treaty obligation of sharing information with Pakistan," the Foreign Office said.

"Pakistan views such laying of foundation stones of the two projects by the Indian Prime Minister as a direct contravention of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960," the Foreign Office said.

Pakistan calls upon India to fulfil its obligations under the IWT and refrain from taking any such steps which are detrimental to the IWT framework, it said.

During the visit, Modi laid the foundation stone of the Rattle and Kwar hydroelectric projects, an 850 MW facility to be constructed on the Chenab river in Kishtwar at a cost of around Rs 5,300 crore, and a 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric project to be built on the same river at a cost of over Rs 4,500 crore.

Notably, the Foreign Office termed Prime Minister Modi's visit to the Valley as "yet another ploy to project fake normalcy" in the Valley.

"Since 5 August 2019, the international community has witnessed many such desperate attempts by India to divert attention from the actual underlying issues in Kashmir," the Foreign Office said in a statement on Sunday night.

Earlier, as part of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed by then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's president Ayub Khan, administers how the water of the Indus River and its tributaries that flow in both the countries will be utilised.

Under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960, waters of the eastern rivers 'Sutlej, Beas and Ravi' chad been allocated to India and the western rivers 'the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab' to Pakistan, except for certain non-consumptive uses for India.

The relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated after New Delhi announced withdrawing the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state into two union territories in August, 2019.

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