New Delhi: Indian Commissioner to the Permanent Indus Commission cond half of this month The acceptance of the invite from Pakistani side was being seen as softening of the stand on part of India. has accepted his Pakistan counterpart's invitation for its annual meeting to be held in Islamabad in the seNew Delhi had taken a tough stand over the river water sharing issue last year at the time of tension between the two sides in the wake of the Uri terror attack.
Sources is the MEA confirmed that the Indian representative will take part in the 113th meeting of the Commission but clarified that "mutually convenient dates and mutually agreeable agenda are to be worked out directly by the Commissioners themselves and the Government has no role in this regard." Rejecting suggestions that it was softening of stand, officials in the MEA said Government and Commission are different.
"Sovereigns represented by the Governments, are signatories to Treaty," said the sources, adding that the Commission was not concerned with the political aspect and only deals with the technical matters. The Commission is a bipartisan body entrusted with everyday implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, which mandates it to meet at least once every year, alternately in India and Pakistan.
It comprises of Indus Commissioners from both sides and discusses technical matters related to implementation of the Treaty, It has met 112 times since 1960. Regular meetings of the Commission deal with technical matters concerned with the implementation of the Treaty and do not amount to 'talks' between the two Governments. (UNI)