By IANS,
Islamabad : Pakistan has set up a new agency to look into construction of dams and other water sector projects by countries like India and Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani established Pakistan Transborder Water Organisation (PTWO) to tackle issues arising from construction of dams and water sector projects by upper riparian countries, India and Afghanistan, reported the daily Dawn.
The new panel will coordinate steps to protect the country’s water rights on rivers flowing from the neighbouring countries.
The water and power ministry was taken aback by the announcement as it had neither made such a proposal nor was it consulted by the Prime Minister’s secretariat.
The authority will be under the Prime Minister’s special assistant on agriculture and water resources, Kemal Majidullah.
The office of Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner (PCIW) will apprise Majidullah of any move by the neighbouring countries that may affect Pakistan’s water rights.
The need to set up a new authority was felt over increasing Indian wish to construct over two dozen medium-to-large water sector projects on western rivers – Indus, Jhelum and Chenab – and also reports of Indian help to Afghanistan to develop dams on the tributaries and the Kabul river that flow into Pakistan from that country, said officials.