Indian Minister Says Indus Water Treaty “Will Never Be Restored”
(MENAFN) India’s Home Minister Amit Shah declared that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan “will never be restored,” signaling a firm break in the decades-old water-sharing pact.
In an interview with a news agency published Saturday, Shah stated, "International treaties can’t be annulled unilaterally, but we had the right to put it in abeyance, which we have done.
The treaty preamble mentions that it was for the peace and progress of the two countries, but once that has been violated, there is nothing left to protect."
The unilateral suspension followed the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, regulates river usage between India and Pakistan, two long-standing rivals.
Shah added that India intends to harness water resources “that rightfully belong to India” and plans to divert water that once flowed to Pakistan into Rajasthan through a new canal system.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan reacted to Shah's comments, stating that the statement "reflects a brazen disregard for the sanctity of international agreements."
Khan emphasized that the treaty "is not a political arrangement but an international treaty with no provision for unilateral action," further stating that India's suspension of it "constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the treaty itself, and the fundamental principles governing interstate relations."
Reaffirming Pakistan’s stance, Khan declared that Islamabad remains “firmly committed to the treaty and will take all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and entitlements under it.” He urged India to “immediately rescind its unilateral and unlawful stance and restore the full and unhindered implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty.”
Pakistan’s insistence highlights the treaty’s critical role in managing shared water resources amid rising political tensions.
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