Pakistan and Indian officials will launch a joint survey today to determine marshlands boundary, the News Network International news agency quoting officials reported on Sunday.

The Sir Creek is a 96-km strip of water disputed between India and Pakistan in the Rann of Kutch marshlands.

The creek, which opens up into the Arabian Sea, divides the Kutch region of the Indian state of Gujarat with the Sindh province of Pakistan.

On Saturday, Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukerjee also confirmed in Islamabad that the survey would begin on Jan. 15.

The two countries have held series of rounds of talks over the issue, which has been one of the eight major issues of the Pakistan-India composite dialogue process.

Much of the land is either marsh or desert that neither side sees as being militarily important. It is also sparsely populated.

India says the boundary should be in the middle of the 100-km (60-mile) estuary. Pakistan says the border should lie on the south-east bank.

The NNI report noted that though the creek has little military value, it holds immense economic gain.

Much of the region is rich in oil and gas below the sea bed, and control over the creek would have a huge bearing on the energy potential of each nation, said the report.

Also once the boundaries are defined, it would help in the determination of the maritime boundaries, which are drawn as an extension of onshore reference points, it added.

(Xinhua News Agency January 15, 2007)