India, Pakistan sign Permanent Indus Commission annual report

New Delhi: India and Pakistan on Tuesday finalised and signed the annual report of the Permanent Indus Commission for the year which ended on 31 March, 2022.

The report was finalised at the two-day 118th Permanent Indus Commission meeting here between the two countries which concluded on Tuesday. A Ministry of External Affairs release said that the meeting was held in a cordial manner and the Commission appreciated the commitment of the two sides to interact frequently and resolve issues through bilateral discussions under the Indus Water Treaty.

It was agreed to hold the next meeting of the PIC in Pakistan on mutually convenient dates.

The Indian delegation was led by AK Pal, the Commissioner for Indus Waters and the visiting Pakistan delegation was led by Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah, the Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters.

The 117th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) was held from March 1-3,2022 in Islamabad.

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As per the provisions of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) 1960, which deals with sharing of the waters of the six rivers of the Indus basin -- both the countries are to have Indus Commissioners, and the Permanent Indus Commission is to meet at least once every year, alternatively in India and Pakistan. Of the six rivers in the Indus Basin, India has complete rights over three eastern rivers -- Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, while Pakistan has rights over the western rivers -- Chenab, Jhelum and Indus.

The Indus Water Treaty has survived the wars between the two countries and the freeze in bilateral relations. The relations between India and Pakistan have been strained due to Uri, Pathankot and Pulwama terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir with New Delhi making it clear that talks and terror cannot go together.

According to recent media reports, Pakistan and India have been engaged in "back channel" talks in order to break the stalemate in the relationship. The Pakistan media reports said that there has been a renewed push by the two sides to find some way out of the impasse since the new government came to power in Islamabad last month.

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