Himalayan News Service

Islamabad, March 5:

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has claimed the World Bank has sought an explanation from India on the construction of Baglihar dam, reports Online news agency.

Talking to newsmen, Kasuri said a decision to depute a neutral expert on the issue would be taken after New Delhi states its stand. Pakistan had in January approached the World Bank to appoint a neutral expert after bilateral channels with India failed to resolve the dispute over the construction of a dam on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir that was designed to produce 450 MW of electricity.

Pakistan wants India to stop work on the $1 billion dam project, saying it would affect the flow of river waters to its territories. Kasuri said that due to the cautious attitude adopted by Pakistan and India normalcy was returning to their relations. Preparations for issuing travelling documents for the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar cross border bus service were under process, he said. He expressed optimism Kashmiris would not need to keep a passport and visa for travelling in the Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus that begins its service April 7.