The International Court of Arbitration has allowed India to go ahead with construction of the Kishanganga dam in Jammu and Kashmir, over which Pakistan has raised objections.

The court delivered its final award last night after India requested clarification of an order issued by it in February.

In its partial award in February, the court upheld India's main contention that it has the right to divert waters of western rivers, in a non-consumptive manner, for optimal generation of power.

The western rivers are allocated to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.

A statement from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad said the final award specifies that 9 cusecs of natural flow of water must be maintained in Kishenganga river at all times to maintain the environment downstream.

This is much lower than the 100 cusecs of natural flow that Pakistan wanted to maintain.

It said India has also received the clarification it sought from the court on the technique of draw-down flushing used for the de-siltation of reservoir in run of the river power projects in the western rivers of the Indus.

The court said alternative techniques will have to be used for Kishanganga hydroelectric project and all future run of the river projects undertaken on western rivers of the Indus system.

The statement further said the International Court of Arbitration's award has shown the pact is a strong framework for division of river waters between India and Pakistan contrary to negative propaganda that the Indus Waters Treaty has been receiving in recent years.

The treaty has stood the test of time and ups and downs in India-Pakistan relations.

It is hoped that the negative arguments often heard on the working of this treaty will be finally put to rest, it added.