WB to take up dispute on two dams in occupied Kashmir

The World Bank is prepared to take up the dispute between Pakistan and India over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power plants.

The process has been put in place under the auspices of the WB as the two countries disagree over whether the technical design features of the two plants contravene the Indus Water Treaty. The bank held two separate meetings with the neutral expert and the chairman of the Court of Arbitration in Washing ton.

The representatives from India and Pakistan were also invited.

The two appointments - neutral expert and chairman of the Court of Arbitration - were made by the WB in October. Michel Lino was appointed as the neutral expert and Prof Sean Murphy as chairman of the Court of Arbitration. The design features of the 330MW Kishenganga and 850MW Ratle hydroelectric power plants have been the point of discord between the neighbouring nations.

The World Bank held two separate hand-over meetings with the Neutral Expert and the chairman of Court of

Arbitration under the Indus Waters Treaty related to the dispute between Pakistan and India on the designs of controversial Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric power projects.

The meetings followed the appointments made pursuant to the treaty by the World Bank in October 2022 of Michel Lino, as the Neutral Expert, and Prof Sean Murphy, as a chairman of the Court of Arbitration. In line with its responsibilities under the Indus Waters Treaty, the World Bank effected the appointments that it was mandated to make in the two separate processes requested by India