New Delhi: After yet another round of nuclear sabre-rattling and warmongering, Pakistan has urged India to restore the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that remains suspended since the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 in which 26 people were massacred.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, on Monday, said it was committed to the full implementation of the treaty and welcomed the interpretation of the Court of Arbitration on the issue.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office requested India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the IWT as it welcomed the interpretation by the Court of Arbitration on August 8. Islamabad said that 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).
“We urge India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty, and fulfil its treaty obligations, wholly and faithfully,” the Foreign Office said in a post on X.
“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,” it further said.
India has never recognised the proceedings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration after Pakistan raised objections to certain design elements of the two projects under the provisions of the IWT.
Under the treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960, India has absolute rights over the waters of the Beas, Sutlej and Ravi. Pakistan has rights over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
India has now announced plans to start work on hydroelectric projects on these rivers. One of these will be on the Chenab.
On Sunday, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir warned of a nuclear war, threatening to ‘take down’ half of the world. He also threatened to launch 10 missiles on any dam that India builds on the Chenab.
A day later Pakistan politician and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto issued a war threat to India over the suspension of the IWT, saying New Delhi’s actions caused “great damage” to Pakistan and urged all Pakistanis to “unite” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The actions of the Indian government, under the leadership of Narendra Modi, have caused great damage to Pakistan. It is necessary that we, as a united people, stand together against PM Modi and these aggressions…You people (Pakistanis) are strong enough for war to get back all six rivers. If India continues on this path, it leaves us with no choice except to consider all options, including the possibility of war, to protect our national interests,” he said.