Indus Water Commissioner Pradeep Saxena (R) with Pakistani counterpart Muhammad Meher Ali Shah in New Delhi. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 22

A Pakistani delegation arrived here today for a meeting of the Indus Water Commissioners on March 23-24 to discuss routine issues as well as New Delhi’s plans for a series of dams on the Chenab.

On agenda…

• Pakistan objections on the designs of Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric plants
• Supply of information on new Indian projects on the western rivers

This will be the first meeting in over two years as also the first after the reorganisation of J&K and Ladakh into separate UTs and PM Narendra Modi’s announcement of several hydel projects in Ladakh.

The Pakistan team will be led by its Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Meher Ali Shah and the Indian delegation by Indus Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Saxena.

Pakistan fears the dams will give India excessive ability to block the flow of the river, giving it strategic leverage during political tension or war. The World Bank has often cleared India-built dams after asking for minor adjustments to account for Pakistani concerns.

The meeting is part of a graded thaw in India-Pakistan ties that began with last month’s joint ceasefire announcement.