Pakistan has agreed to India's proposal to increase the staff strength of the Indian and Pakistan missions at New Delhi and Islamabad from the present 47 to 55, while India has given its consent to Pakistan's request for its experts to inspect the Baglihar Hydro Electric project in Jammu and Kashmir.
India has proposed to increase the staff strength in view of the growing demand for Indian visas, especially after the resumption of the bus services between the two countries. The Indian mission in Islamabad is receiving up to 200 visa applications every day.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said Islamabad had agreed to the Indian suggestion hoping that New Delhi would eventually agree to restore the strength to 110 as existed till December 2000. India had cut down its staff strength by half following the December 2001 attack on Parliament.
Where the Baglihar Hydro Electric project is concerned, Pakistan has been alleging that may be violating the 1960 Indus Water Accord, which granted riparian rights of three rivers flowing from J&K into Pakistan. The project is being built over the Chenab River at Baglihar.
Officials of both sides have discussed the various aspects of the project several times. Pakistan believes the project provides for submerged gated spillways, which, it says, would allow India to increase the storage capacity far beyond what is allowed under the Indus Waters Treaty.
"We have agreed in principle to permit the Pakistan team to examine the project," Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Shivshankar Menon told PTI.
India's consent comes following Islamabad's threat to demand third party inspection, provided for by the treaty, after September 30. The Pakistan team is expected to visit Baglihar some time in October.
