ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday slammed India for violating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) while communicating flood warnings through diplomatic channels instead of the Indus Waters Commission, saying the move was a “serious violation of international law.”
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said that India’s unilateral actions undermine the waters treaty’s mechanism and warned of their potential impact on regional peace and stability.
On Sunday, Pakistan received warning from Indian High Commission in Islamabad regarding high flood levels in Sutlej and Chenab rivers.
“We reaffirm that India is obligated to fully comply with all provisions of the Treaty. India’s unilateral declaration to hold the Treaty in abeyance constitutes a serious violation of international law and could have significant negative consequences for peace and stability in South Asia”, Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement on Monday.
Following the alert, Pakistani authorities issued warnings based on the information provided by India, the sources confirmed.
After the Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) in April, India held the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance.
New Delhi blamed Islamabad, without sharing any evidence, for the attack. Pakistan condemned the attack and strongly rejected the Indian allegation as baseless. Pakistan also offered an independent and neutral international investigation into the attack; however, New Delhi failed to respond to Islamabad’s offer and continued with its aggressive posture.
In May, India waged a war against Pakistan, resulting in the heaviest military engagement in decades, before a ceasefire was brokered by the US.
The nuclear-armed neighbours disagree over the use of the water from rivers that flow downstream from India into the Indus River basin in Pakistan.
The use of the water is governed by the IWT, which was mediated by the World Bank and signed by the neighbours in September 1960.
There is no provision in the treaty for either country to unilaterally suspend or terminate the pact, which has clear dispute resolution systems.
The treaty had survived three wars and other conflicts between the two rivals, while withstanding many twists and turns in diplomatic ties.
Islamabad has warned that “any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan” will be an “act of war”.
