Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has urged the international community to call on India to immediately restore the Indus Water Treaty, halt the weaponization of water and refrain from undermining the peace and stability of South Asia.
Addressing the diplomatic corps in Islamabad today, he voiced serious concerns over the manipulation of water flow of Chenab River by India.
He mentioned that India has released the water without any prior notification or any data or information sharing with Pakistan as required under the Indus Water Treaty.
He said India’s manipulation of water prompted our Indus Water Commissioner to write a letter to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on the matter as provided under the treaty.
Ishaq Dar said India’s recent action clearly exemplifies the weaponization of water to which Pakistan has been consistently drawing attention of the international community.
He highlighted that India’s manipulation of water at a critical time of our agriculture cycle directly threatens the lives and livelihoods as well as food and economic security of our citizens. He said we expect India to respond to the queries raised by Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner, refrain from any unilateral manipulation of the river flows and fulfill all its obligations in letter and spirit under the Indus Water Treaty.
The Deputy Prime Minister regretted that India has consistently attempted to undermine the treaty in a systematic manner. He said India’s construction of hydropower projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle involves design structures that blatantly violate the treaty’s technical specifications.
He said India continues to build illegal dams in sheer disregard of the treaty obligations. With building of dams, Indian capacity to store and manipulate water is also increasing which endangers Pakistan’s security, economy and livelihoods of its people.
Ishaq Dar pointed out that India has also halted sharing the advance information, hydrological data and joint oversight required by the treaty which has exposed Pakistan to floods and drought. He said such illegal and irresponsible Indian conduct has all the potential to trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. He said the ongoing water manipulation by India contravenes international human rights and international humanitarian law while hindering progress on Sustainable Development Goals on Poverty and Hunger.
He said if India was allowed to violate treaty and its obligations with impunity, it amounts to setting a dangerous precedent.
The Deputy Prime Minister also drew attention to the Indian subversion of the treaty’s own dispute resolution mechanism. He said India is refusing to participate in the Court of Arbitration and the neutral expert’s proceedings.
Ishaq Dar reiterated that Indus Water Treaty is a binding legal instrument that has made an invaluable contribution to peace and stability of South Asia. He urged the international community to take notice of India’s continued disregard of a bilateral treaty and counsel India to act responsibly in accordance with international law and established norms.
The Deputy Prime Minister said belligerent statements coming from the Indian leadership clearly demonstrate India’s intentions and designs to weaponize water aimed at inflicting harm on Pakistan and its people.
He made it clear that Pakistan remains committed to peaceful resolution of disputes and issues with India but will not compromise on its existential water rights of its people.
