Pak-India annual Indus Waters Treaty meeting postponed due to coronavirus

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Pak-India annual Indus Waters Treaty commission meeting has been postponed due to coronavirus pandemic. Indian officials have said that a meeting will be convened after the situation improves.

According to local news channel report, Indus Commissioners of Pakistan and India were due to meet in New Delhi this month. Indian commissioner has informed Pakistan authorities about the deferment of the meeting.

Indus Commissioners of Pakistan and India are supposed to hold meeting by March 31 every year, according to the Indus Waters Treaty (Also known as Sindh Tass Agreement) signed between the two countries. Under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty, “the Commission shall meet regularly at least once a year, alternately in Pakistan and India”.

The Permanent Indus Commission, formed under the Indus Waters Treaty was signed between Pakistan and India in 1960. Indus commissioners of both the countries act as representatives of the respective governments for the treaty, which deals with sharing of river waters between the two countries.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan has been demanding a meeting of the Commission for the past two years. The last meeting of the Commission was held in Lahore in August 2018.