Pakistan Readies Legal Action Against India for Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty
Pakistan's agrifood industry, which supports the economy so highly and utilizes most of its populace
Pakistan Readies Legal Action Against India for Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty latest news: India-Pakistan tensions have risen after the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 dead. India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a key treaty signed in 1960 that regulates the sharing of water from six rivers between the two neighbors. New Delhi has said the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan stops all support for cross-border terrorism completely and irreversibly.
This action has been met with angry responses from Pakistan, with the office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labeling the action an "act of war." The release threatened to respond to any move to impede or divert Pakistan's share of water with"full force across the complete spectrum of National Power."
Islamabad is now preparing to challenge the suspension of the treaty through international legal channels. According to Minister of State for Law and Justice Aqeel Malik, Pakistan is considering multiple options, including:
- Approaching the World Bank, which is the designated facilitatorof the treaty.
- Pursuing the case before the International Court of Justice or the Permanent Court of Arbitration, contending that India's move is against the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
- Raising the matter at the United Nations Security Council, requesting intervention at an international diplomatic level.
Pakistan's agrifood industry, which supports the economy so highly and utilizes most of its populace, stands vulnerable particularly in the event of the water supply from India being cutoff. It concerns farmers that flash flooding or drought conditionsmight develop on account of unavailability of India's water-partition data.
Analysts are of the view that although Islamabad can seek legal recourse, India has significant leverage in this case. In the past, the Indus Waters Treaty has weathered several wars between the countries and suspending it is an unheard-of action.
Only time can tell how Pakistan proceeds with its legal case and how this water dispute will affect stability in the region.
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