ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday welcomed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which held that India must generally allow the waters of the Western Rivers to flow for Pakistan’s “unrestricted use” in accordance with the Indus Waters Treaty.
In April, India announced it was holding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance following the Pahalgam attack in occupied Kashmir, which killed 26 people—an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without providing evidence.
Pakistan strongly condemned the move, calling any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war” and stressing that the treaty contains no provisions for unilateral suspension.
Islamabad later indicated it was considering legal action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a supplemental award, ruling that India could not unilaterally suspend or hold the treaty in abeyance.
India responded by rejecting the court’s jurisdiction and refusing to recognise its decisions.
In a press release issued on Monday, the PCA confirmed that it had delivered an award on Friday in the arbitration initiated by Pakistan against India on August 19, 2016, under Article IX and Annexure G of the Indus Waters Treaty.
🔸 #PCA Press Release | The Indus Waters Western Rivers Arbitration (Islamic Republic of Pakistan v. Republic of India) 🔸
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲… pic.twitter.com/DDHESOM9TO
— Permanent Court of Arbitration (@PCA_CPA) August 11, 2025
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in a statement, said the Award interprets the designed criteria for the new run-of-river hydropower projects to be constructed by India on the Western Rivers (Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus).
🔊PR NO.2️⃣3️⃣7️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Pakistan Welcomes the Award Rendered by the Court of Arbitration on the Issues of General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
🔗⬇️https://t.co/fzmDYpXbYj pic.twitter.com/fNkbnDwyrv
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 11, 2025
It noted that in a significant finding, the Court has declared that India shall “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use.
“In that connection, the specified exceptions for generation of hydro-electric plants must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the Treaty, rather than to what India might consider an ‘ideal’ or ‘best practices’ approach,” the statement said.
“The Court’s findings on low-level outlets, gated spillways, intakes for the turbines, and free-board are in line with Pakistan’s interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Treaty. The Award also limits India from maximising the pondage volume,” said the foreign office statement.
It said the Court has observed that the Awards of a Court of Arbitration are final and binding on the Parties (India and Pakistan), and have a controlling legal effect on subsequent Courts of Arbitration and Neutral Experts.
“Recognising Pakistan’s vulnerability as the downstream riparian, the Court has further observed that the object and purpose of the Indus Waters Treaty, as it relates to the Western Rivers, is to delimit the two states’ respective rights and obligations, in conjunction with mutual cooperation and effective dispute resolution procedures,” it said.
According to a statement, the Award carries special significance in the wake of India’s recent announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, and its earlier decision to boycott the proceedings of the Court of Arbitration.
“It is an endorsement of Pakistan’s historical stance on the afore-stated issues,” it said.
It said Pakistan remains committed to full implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty and expects India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the Treaty, and faithfully implement the Award announced by the Court of Arbitration.
