India has rejected Pakistan's objections on its two hydropower projects on the Chenab river, a Pakistani official said today, as the crucial high-level bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty concluded here.

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After the conclusion of talks, the first official engagement between India and Pakistan since Imran Khan became Prime Minister on August 18, Pakistan's Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Meher Ali Shah told reporters that there would be no briefing and statement on the issue.

"It is a sensitive matter and we were conveyed (by the Foreign Office) not to speak on it. The Foreign Office will issue a statement in this regard," Shah said.

Another official of the Pakistani side, on the condition of anonymity, said India rejected Pakistan's objections on the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal hydropower projects on the Chenab river.

"India has hinted at continuation of work on both the hydropower projects," he said.

"Pakistan may approach the international forums defined in the Indus Waters Treaty over New Delhi's refusal to accept the requests as narrated in the detailed objections," the official said.

Pakistan has made it clear that it will have no option but to appointment neutral experts and take the case to the International Court of Arbitration in case India fails to address its concerns which are genuine, he said.

"India has invited Pakistan to send its experts to the sites of two projects -- the construction of the 1,000MW Pakal Dul dam and 48MW Lower Kalnal -- on the Chenab river next month to have their apprehensions redressed," a senior official of the Water Resource Ministry told

 

(This article has not been edited by Zeebiz editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)