Indo-Pak water-sharing talks run aground

"It was the final attempt but the situation is the same. Matters could not be resolved and our issues were not addressed," Pakistan's secretary for water and power, Ashfaq Mehmood, told a news conference at the end of three days of talks.

"We have done everything to resolve it bilaterally but it has not resulted in success. So the next step is obvious as provided by the Indus Water Treaty ... go for appointment of neutral experts," he added.

There was no official comment from the Indian side. The two neighbours were due to address a joint news conference on Friday but it was cancelled.

The dispute centres around India's plans to construct a dam over the Chenab river in Indian-controlled Kashmir's Jammu region. The hydro-electric Baghliar dam is being built in two 450-megawatt phases.

Pakistan says the dam violates the 1960 Indus Water Treaty on water sharing, one of the nuclear rivals' most enduring agreements that has survived two wars.