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Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Minister slams India for undermining IWT
Water Resources Minister Moeen Wattoo on Thursday slammed India for attempting to "run away" from the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in total disregard for Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling earlier this week. The minister reacted to India's External Affairs Ministry statement, saying the international Court of Arbitration lacks any legal authority to make pronouncements on the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan as New Delhi has never recognised the legitimacy of the court,. A ruling from the Court of Arbitration last week backed Pakistan by saying that India must adhere to the Indus Waters Treaty in the design of new hydro-electric power stations on rivers that flow west into Pakistan. Signed in 1960, the IWT awarded three westward-flowing rivers to Pakistan and three eastward-flowing rivers to India. In 2023, Pakistan approached the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague over the design of Indian hydropower projects on rivers allocated to Pakistan. In a ruling on Monday, the PCA affirmed its jurisdiction and stated that the IWT "does not permit India to generate hydro-electric power on the Western Rivers based on what might be the ideal or best practices approach for engineering". The court added that India must adhere "strictly" to treaty specifications and "let flow" the western rivers' waters for Pakistan's "unrestricted use". Attorney General for Pakistan Mansoor Usman said the PCA had accepted Pakistan's position. However, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters India had "never accepted the legality, legitimacy, or competence" of the court, terming its pronouncements "without jurisdiction" and devoid of legal standing. He said that India stood by its decision to hold the IWT in abeyance. Wattoo outright rejected Delhi's claim. The minister told a private news channel that India's position was baseless and wrong. "Under any article of the agreement, India or Pakistan cannot terminate this agreement," he said, adding that the PCA had already dismissed similar objections from India. "India's letter seeking modification of the treaty had no legal cover." India suspended the IWT in April following an attack in occupied Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists - an incident it blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan warned that any attempt to halt its water share would be an "act of war". The PCA's supplemental award in June declared India could not hold the treaty in abeyance. India again said it did not recognise the court's authority. Responding to the MEA spokesperson's stance, the water minister told a digital media website: "India wants to run away from this agreement (IWT). Under any article of the agreement, India or Pakistan cannot terminate this agreement." He said India's claim was "baseless and wrong", adding that Pakistan rejected it. "The court has already said that it has the power to decide. India had made this claim before, which the court has rejected." He said a letter by India earlier in the year seeking modification in the treaty had no legal cover and the country could not unilaterally take a decision regarding the IWT.
Business Recorder
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
India's IWT abeyance action a move aimed at destroying Pakistan's agriculture, Senate body told
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday that India's action to place Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) 1960 in abeyance is absolutely unacceptable as it is an act of war and an effort to destroy Pakistan's agriculture. This was stated by Minister for Water Resources Moeen Wattoo during a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Water Resources, presided over by the newly appointed Chairman Ahmad Atteeq Anwar. 'India's move is an attack on Pakistan's sovereignty. We will go to every extent to protect our existence,' he added. Secretary Water Resources, Syed Ali Murtaza informed the Committee that India has continuously violated the Indus Waters Treaty and is involved in tampering with water, adding that India also attacked Neelum-Jhelum Dam. India has been informed that it cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty.' World Bank rebukes India over IWT, warns against unilateral moves Neither there is any provision to put the Treaty in abeyance nor suspension, Treaty is invoked and if India does any violation, Pakistan will approach the appropriate forum for remedy. India is not talking with Pakistan under IWT for the last two years despite Pakistan's repeated requests, he added. The Committee was briefed that the office of Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters deals with the implementation of the IWT 1960 signed with India on the sharing of the waters of Indus system on rivers. Under the provisions of the Treaty, the waters from three Eastern Rivers ( Ravi, Suutluj, Beas) have been allocated to India for her exclusive use, whereas the waters of three Western Rivers ( Indus, Jhelum and Chenab) have been allocated to Pakistan, however, from the three Western Rivers, India has been allowed to use water: (i) for domestic use; (ii) non-consumptive use; (iii) limited agriculture use (701,000 acres additional area permitted in India and Indian held part of Jammu and Kashmir in the basins of the three Western rivers i.e. Indus, Jhelum and Chenab);(iv) generation of hydroelectric power( the use is permitted subject to observance of design and operational criteria specified by the Treaty ; and (v) storage works (upper limit of storage has been fixed at 3.60 MAF divided among three Wester rivers basins). Secretary Water Resources further stated that Pakistan has now increased monitoring of our rivers. Even if India builds dams, it cannot stop the flow of water. If India tampers with Pakistan's water, it will be considered an act of war, he said adding that on May 2nd and 3rd, there was a sudden rise in the water level of the Chenab River. Diversion of water from Baghliahar dam has also been noticed and this is being raised through proper channel. 'The water increased for 36 hours and then suddenly dropped — we are investigating this. If India is behind this, it would be a violation of the treaty. We are now collecting evidence and will take it to the relevant forum,' Secretary Water Resources maintained. He said that there are three options in case of a violation: going to the court of arbitration, pursuing diplomatic action, and finally, the military option. India cannot divert water outside the basin. 'We will take India's violation to the international level and to arbitration,' said the Secretary of Water Resources. Rai Hassan Nawaz, MNA inquired about the truth behind the allegations against former Indus Waters Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah. The acting Indus Waters Commissioner, Mehar Ali Shah explained that the information in the media regarding Jamaat Ali Shah is not accurate. He stated that an inquiry had been held against the former Indus Waters Commissioner, Jamaat Ali Shah after making him OSD, however, there is no evidence to support the allegations made against him regarding approaching the appropriate forum against one of the Indian projects. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
