By: Anwar Iqbal in Washington
WHAT IS THE KISHANGANGA DISPUTE?
THE dispute revolves around a hydroelectric power plant on the Kishanganga River, which is a tributary of the Jhelum and is known as the Neelum in Pakistan.
On May 19, 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the project -which includes a dam on the tributary-barely metres away from the Line of Control in the disputed Kashmir region.
The project will generate 1,713 million units of electricity per year. The dam will divert Jhelum waters to an underground power house. To do so, it will transfer the water from the Gurez Valley back into mainland Kashmir, instead of allowing it to flow into Pakistan.
The Kishanganga River flows through the regions of Neelum in AJK and Astore before entering the India-held region of Gurez. The dam will give India control over a river that flows from Pakistan into India-held Kashmir and then re-enters Pakistan.