Pakistan asked India on Monday to restore the Indus Waters Treaty operations which governs distribution of 80 percent of Pakistan farms water as the country’s defense minister accused New Delhi of perpetrating terrorism.
Days after the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration declared that no country could unilaterally suspend the treaty, Islamabad asked India to cease its illegal hold on the treaty.
The PCA announced a supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over India’s suspension of the treaty as the water war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors devolve into stark threats and accusations against the other.
India froze normal operations under the 1960 World Bank-mediated treaty in the wake of a terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Islamabad has previously said blocking Pakistan’s share of water will be considered “an act of war.”
For its part, New Delhi last week rejected the authority of an arbitration court “illegally” formed under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Reacting to the Court’s announcement of “supplemental award” on its competence to hear cases on the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir, India said it consistently opposed the proceedings of The Hague-based Court of Arbitration ever since its constitution by the World Bank in October 2022.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the move as the “latest charade at Pakistan’s behest” and said that this is an attempt by Islamabad to escape accountability for its role as the global epicenter of terrorism.
In its supplemental award on the proceedings instituted by Pakistan against India over two hydroelectric projects, the court ruled on June 27 that India’s decision to hold the IWT in abeyance did not deprive the court of its competence to adjudicate Pakistan’s complaints.
Court of Arbitration rules India cannot suspend Indus Waters Treaty
Officials in Islamabad oppose some of hydroelectric projects by India, saying they violate the World Bank-mediated treaty.
In response to the supplemental award announced by the Court of Arbitration, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said the court found hearing the Pakistan-India dispute over Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects found that it has a continuing responsibility to advance these proceedings in a timely, efficient and fair manner.
“The Court of Arbitration decided to announce this supplemental award in the wake of India’s illegal and unilateral announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance,” the Pakistani Foreign Office said in a statement.
“The award vindicates Pakistan’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid and operational, and that India has no right to take a unilateral action about it. We urge India to immediately resume the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty, and fulfil its treaty obligations, wholly and faithfully.”
After suspending water treaty with Pakistan, India pushes Bangladesh to renegotiate Ganga accord
Weeks after India’s suspension of the treaty, the court issued a procedural order on May 16 and requested the parties to provide written submissions on the effect, if any, of these recent developments before the court.
Pakistan filed written submissions while India made no submission. The court, however, said it had considered New Delhi’s position.
New Delhi halted the normal working of the water agreement in the immediate aftermath of the April 22 attack in the disputed Kashmir region, which resulted in a four-day military conflict between the neighbors in May.
New Delhi accused Pakistan based militant groups of being behind the attack.
Islamabad last week accused India of sponsoring an armed uprising in Balochistan province and backing Afghanistan-based TTP group for attacks on Pakistan army troops.
