ISLAMABAD: In a meeting with a high-level delegation of the World Bank on Thursday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan`s request for help in setting up a Court of Arbitration to resolve the water dispute with India and to provide assistance for the DiamerBhasha dam.

The delegation was led by Kristalina I. Georgieva, chief executive officer of the World Bank Group, who is on a threeday visit to Pakistan in the backdrop of Islamabad`s formal request for a Court of Arbitration to stop India from constructing two hydropower projects on its western rivers in violation of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.

The delegation included Annette Dixon, Director Franz Rich-ard Dress-Gross, Nasir Khosa, executive director for Pakistan in the bank, and Country Director Pathumutho Illangovan.

The World Bank CEO said keeping in view the momentum in growth and economic progress in Pakistan, the World Bank would continue to assist Pakistan with consideration of a bigger package including the IDA, IBRD, Refugees/Crisis modalities. She appreciated the Tarbela extension project and said the World Bank would continue to work with the Pakistani government on similar projects.

Earlier, the prime minister shared details of the dispute regarding the construction of hydro-electric plants, in particular Kishanganga and Ratle hydro-electric plants, and water reservoirs on the western rivers.

He asked the World Bank CEO to `play a leading role in resolv-ing the disputes through the establishment of a Court of Arbitration` He reminded the visiting delegation of the World Bank`s obligation to support the development of hydropower and water resources on the Indus basin and sought assistance for the Diamer-Bhasha dam. The World Bank has previously taken an ambivalent position on the $14 billion multipurpose project on the Indus and has stayed away from offering to finance the project purportedly due to Indian opposition.

Mr Sharif stressed that his government was focused on developing hydropower projects and mega dams `all along the Indus cascade`, as well as small andmedium dams inBalochistan to meet energy demands.

`The Diamer-Basha dam is a project of national importanceas it will considerably change the energy mix, provide affordable electricity and store water, the prime minister was quoted in the official statement.

The issues of establishing a court of arbitration to resolve the water dispute with India and the request for financing the Diamer-Bhasha dam was reiterated in a follow-up meeting of the delegation with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Water and Power Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif.

An official statement quoted Kristalina L Georgieva as saying that the delegation `understood the signincance of the Indus Waters Treaty and is cognisant of the World Bank`s role as a cosignatory to the Treaty`. She `assured a positive consideration for Pakistan`s development needs and higher financial allocations`, the statement said.