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SRINAGAR

An RSS leader leading Puja in Indus river at Leh
An RSS leader leading Puja in Indus river at Leh in this KL file Image.

Even when voices are being heared that the abrogation/review of Indus Water Treaty (IWT) will invite Chinese intervention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday chaired a meeting which discussed the 1960 signed treaty between India and Pakistan.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, the Water Resources Secretary, and senior PMO officials are present at the meeting in New Delhi.

The review is being undertaken in the backdrop of the Uri attack that left 18 soldiers dead and Delhi accused Islamabad of sponsoring the four attackers who too were left dead in three and a half hours on September 18 morning.

There have been consistent calls in India that the government “scrap” the water distribution pact to mount pressure on Pakistan in the aftermath of the attack. However, legal experts assert that no unilateral action can work on IWT with World Bank a party to it.

Under the treaty, which was signed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Ayub Khan in September 1960, water of six rivers – Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum – were to be shared between the two countries under Easter and Western system of rivers.

Pakistan has been complaining of not receiving enough water and gone for international arbitration in couple of cases.

In Srinagar, many unionists believe that if such a step is taken by New Delhi, China will step in which means more problems for it.

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