Ankara: Pakistan on Monday welcomed a decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, which said India must 'let flow' the waters of the western rivers for Pakistan's 'unrestricted use.'
According to Anadolu Agency, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry expressed approval of the arbitration award, which addresses the General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The court declared that India is required to allow the waters of the Western Rivers to flow freely for Pakistan's use, adhering strictly to the treaty's provisions for hydro-electric plant generation, rather than India's interpretation of 'ideal' practices.
The decision comes after tensions between the two countries escalated in April when India suspended the IWT following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which it attributed to Pakistan. Islamabad denied the accusations and considered any attempt to halt its water share as an 'act of war,' emphasizing that the treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended.
Subsequent to the suspension, the two nations engaged in cross-border clashes in May until a ceasefire was brokered by US President Donald Trump. The PCA's arbitration clarified the "interpretation and application" of the IWT concerning the "run-of-river hydro-electric plants" that India is allowed to construct on the tributaries of the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab Rivers. It emphasized that the design and operation of these plants must align with treaty requirements.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry reiterated its commitment to the treaty's full implementation and urged India to resume the pact's normal functioning and adhere to the court's decision. The dispute over hydroelectric projects on the shared Indus River has been a longstanding issue, with Pakistan arguing that India's hydropower projects threaten its irrigated agriculture.
In a separate development, Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, during a visit to the US, warned against any attempts by India to restrict the Indus River's flow. He asserted that Pakistan would defend its water rights at all costs, highlighting the strategic importance of the river.
India, in response to Munir's remarks, emphasized its commitment to safeguarding national security and criticized what it described as Pakistan's "nuclear sabre-rattling." New Delhi also expressed regret over the comments being made in the US, a country that recently imposed significant tariffs on Indian exports.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry dismissed India's narrative of "nuclear blackmail" as misleading, asserting that Pakistan remains a responsible nuclear state with recognized counterterrorism efforts.