Indo-Pakistan composite dialogue’s first phase to end by year-end
By Raza Mumtaz - Pakistan Times Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesman, Jalil Abass Jilani said on Monday that first phase of India - Pakistan composite dialogues would come to an end by December of this year, whereas exchange of the lists bearing names of travelers of the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service be carried out on June-21.

The list being given by Pakistan includes name of Pakistani Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sh. Rashid Ahmed, he told.

While addressing the weekly press briefing, Mr Jilani said: “Indian foreign office has not apprised formally Pakistan with its any objections with reference to Sh. Rashid Ahmed, except statements carried by newspapers.” He told Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir issue continued to be static as ever.

He also spoke on the issue of alleged desecration of Holy Quran in Guantanamo bay at the hands of American soldiers and said details of American-conduct investigation report were demanded.

Talks on Wullar Barrage delayed

Yet another report says that Pakistan and India have postponed the two-day talks over Wullar Barrage dispute scheduled for June 24-25 upon the latter’s request. Now the two sides are likely to hold the crucial parleys by this month end.

India has requested for rescheduling of talks on Wullar Barrage due to logistic reasons, said a senior official here on Sunday.

However, he said the talks on controversial water project in Held Kashmir have only been put off for three to four days and the new dates would be announced in a day or two.

The official said nothing could be said about any concrete progress before the two-day talks to be held in the Indian capital.

A five-member Pakistani delegation to be headed by Secretary Water and Power, Ashfaq Mehmood would leave for New Delhi to hold talks with Indian officials on Wullar Barrage likely to be held by the end of June, he added.

Wullar Barrage, he said, was one of eight issues on composite dialogue agenda chalked out by Islamabad and New Delhi for the ongoing peace process. The other issues include Kashmir, Peace and Security, Siachen and Sir Creek etc.

Perspective

Both the sides held the last round of talks on Wullar Barrage in July 2004 in Islamabad. However, those negotiations failed to resolve the dispute, as both the sides refused to budge from their respective positions, the official said.

India began the construction of Wullar Barrage back in 1984. However, three years later, it had to halt the work as Pakistan opposed the project dubbing it as a violation of Indus Waters Treaty.

India, on the other hand, says that the water project is meant to facilitate the navigation between Baramullah (Jammu) and Wullar (Kashmir).

The upcoming negotiations on Wullar Barrage would be the 11th round of talks between the two nations on the contentious issue since 1988 when they began talking to each other with an aim to solve the issue in an amicable manner, an official said.

Earlier, the two South Asian nuclear states failed to resolve a dispute over Baglihar dam, another water project in Held Kashmir.

Now the World Bank through a neutral expert, who held maiden talks with the senior officials from both sides in Paris early this month, is handling the issue.●