India: Water treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan stops support to cross-border terror
India on Friday made it clear that the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance until Pakistan stops its support to cross-border terrorism.
India on Friday made it clear that the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance until Pakistan stops its support to cross-border terrorism.
The Indus Waters Treaty, a World Bank-brokered water sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, was put in abeyance as part of an immediate diplomatic response to the Pahalgam attack.
Official sources said no Court of Arbitration, much less this illegally constituted arbitral body, which has no existence in the eye of the law, has the jurisdiction to examine the legality of India's actions in exercise of its rights as a sovereign nation.
Responding to a question on the IWT while addressing his weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The Indus Water Treaty remains in abeyance."
Amid strained ties, India informed Pakistan about floods in the Tawi River through its High Commission, bypassing the Indus Waters Treaty channel.
The MEA’s announcement came even as Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said that the ceasefire could be under threat if New Delhi continues to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance.
The border area of Akhnoor in the Jammu district is the last checkpoint before the river enters Pakistan.
After India shut the gates of Salal Dam, BJP leader Amit Malviya lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for showing strong political will to make tough decisions in the national interest.
Angered over the suspension of the 1960 Indus waters Treaty by India following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has threatened India, stating that "either our water or their blood will flow through it".
A high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday resolved to cut off Indus water supply to Pakistan while putting the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan on hold, a source said.
