New Delhi: India Thursday informed Pakistan of its decision to keep Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance with immediate effect, saying Pakistan has breached the conditions of the treaty.
Sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting Jammu and Kashmir impedes India’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, India’s Secretary of Water Resources Debashree Mukherjee said in a letter addressed to her Pakistani counterpart, Syed Ali Murtaza.
“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter read.
India’s decision to suspend the decades-old treaty follows the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam Tuesday.
“The resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilisation of its rights under the treaty,” the letter read.
The communication to Pakistan also highlighted “significantly altered population demographics, the need to accelerate the development of clean energy, and other changes” as reasons necessitating a re-assessment of the treaty’s obligations.
It also accused Pakistan of breaching the treaty by refusing to negotiate modifications, as required under Article XII(3).
“…apart from other breaches committed by it, Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the treaty and is thus in breach of the treaty,” the letter said.
“The Government of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect,” it added.
On Wednesday, India announced a raft of measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches and the immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post.
Pakistan has rejected India’s suspension of the treaty and said any measures to stop the flow of water “belonging to Pakistan” under the pact will be seen as an “act of war”.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, has governed the use of the Indus river and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960.
Pakistan earlier Thursday rejected the Indian decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and called it a lifeline for 240 million of its people.
“Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Water Treaty and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparian will be considered as an Act of war,” according to an official statement by Pakistan.
