After initial claims of victory and promise to accept the World Bank neutral expert's verdict on Baglihar power project, Pakistan is reportedly considering the option of going to the Court of Arbitration over Raymond Lafitte's decision to approve the spillway gates of the dam, which Islamabad claims would help India regulate the flow of water."Pakistan is considering moving the Court of Arbitration on the design of spillways of Baglihar hydropower project as Lafitte didn't buy Islamabad's point of view on the issue," an unnamed senior government official was quoted as saying by The News."A team of legal experts has started working out a case on the design of spillway gates keeping in view the verdict of neutral expert," the official said.The neutral expert in his final determination upheld India's point of view on the design of spillway gates."As India can still regulate water of Chenab River through spillway gates, therefore legal experts have started examining the decision in which neutral expert has held that spillway gates are in conformity with international practice and state-of-the-art," the official said.Soon after the verdict was announced on February 12 Pakistan's power and water minister Liaqat Jatoi has said it was a victory for Pakistan. He said the verdict was binding on both sides and hoped India would implement it.Jatoi has said "we will not ask the neutral expert again to review its decision on spillways, but under the treaty, the Court of Arbitration is the next forum wherein the case would be listened and decided."
