Islamabad, Jan. 18: True to its threat, Pakistan today petitioned the World Bank over India?s Baglihar hydel power project on the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir.

?Our ambassador in Washington, General (retd) Jehangir Karamat, is meeting the World Bank president today to discuss appointment of a neutral expert for intercession on the issue,? Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Masood Khan said here.

The Indus Water Treaty of 1960, brokered by the bank, provides for ?third party arbitration? in case of a dispute.

India described the move as unjustified and suggested solving the differences bilaterally, reports our special correspondent in Delhi. Adopting a tough stance, Delhi has maintained that it will not stop work on the project despite yet another threat to involve a third party in a bilateral dispute.

?We do not believe that the reference to the World Bank is justified,? Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said in Delhi. ?Our view has been that during the detailed technical discussions between the two sides at the level of the water resources secretaries recently, there has been some convergence.?

But Khan said the talks between water and power secretaries did not yield results as the Indian negotiators again declined to adjust the dam to the specifications in the treaty.

Officials from India and Pakistan met in New Delhi on January 4-5 to resolve an impasse over the 450 MW project.

Pakistan, which objects mainly to the dam?s height and its water storage capacity, accused India of adopting ?dilatory tactics? and held the talks as a ?last-ditch effort? to resolve the dispute.

Islamabad has riparian right over the Indus, Chenab and the Jhelum under the 1960 pact and believes the $1-billion Baglihar project would impact the flow of water into Pakistan.