Tarar Raises Global Concerns Over India’s IWT Actions

Tarar Raises Global Concerns Over India’s IWT Actions

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has warned that India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance could have implications far beyond South Asia, raising concerns about the future of global transboundary water governance.

Speaking in Islamabad, Tarar said Pakistan believes in peace but would not allow what he described as the weaponisation of water, stressing the importance of protecting the water rights of Pakistan’s population.

He argued that if a state can unilaterally place a binding international water treaty in abeyance despite established dispute-resolution mechanisms, it could create a wider precedent for countries that share rivers and other water resources.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, established a framework for managing the Indus river system between Pakistan and India, including provisions for water allocation, information sharing and dispute resolution.

Pakistan has continued to raise the issue internationally, while Indian officials have maintained their position regarding the treaty and the circumstances that led New Delhi to put it in abeyance.

The dispute has also involved concerns over fluctuations in the Chenab River and the sharing of hydrological information. Pakistan’s Indus Waters commissioner has said repeated communications were sent to his Indian counterpart over the issue.

Tarar said Pakistan would continue engaging the international community and defending its position through diplomatic and legal channels, as the dispute remains closely linked to regional water security and relations between the two countries.