India had informed the Pakistan Government that the dam had been completed and was going to be filled. “We have asked India not to fill the dam as it is a disputed and controversial project,” an unnamed senior official of the Ministry of Water and Power was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.

The hydroelectric project with a capacity of 45 MW has been built near Alchi village in Leh district. An inquiry was earlier conducted by the Water and Power Development Authority Secretary Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwar regarding the project. The report blamed former Indus Water commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah for delaying the issue and losing the opportunity to take up the matter with a neutral expert or Court of Arbitration.

Jamaat Ali Shah rubbished the allegations of not taking timely action, saying he had rejected India’s claims that the Nimoo-Bazgo dam would not harm Pakistan.

In 2002, Pakistan requested India to provide details of the project. Pakistan claims India did not respond till December 2006 despite reminders.

Legal battles between Pakistan and India over water rights have emerged as a key irritant in bilateral relations. India built the Baglihar Dam with a capacity of 450MW on the Chenab after a neutral expert ruled in its favour.

A court of arbitration, however, stopped India from constructing a permanent structure for the Kishanganga dam in a short-term order.

(With PTI inputs)