Arbitration court upholds Pakistan’s stance on Indus Waters Treaty | The Express Tribune

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague upheld its earlier award supporting the continued validity of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), ruling that India cannot unilaterally suspend the agreement.

The tribunal reaffirmed that the treaty remained in force, rejecting arguments that either party may withdraw or suspend it without mutual consent. It said the legal framework governing the sharing of the Indus river system continued to bind both India and Pakistan.

The ruling related to long-running disputes between the two countries over hydroelectric developments on the western rivers of the Indus system. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns that Indian run-of-river projects could reduce downstream flows and harm agricultural output.

In a prior award issued last year, the tribunal directed that India must allow the waters of the western rivers to flow for Pakistan’s “unrestricted use,” reinforcing Pakistan’s interpretation of the treaty’s water allocation provisions.

Responding to the ruling, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the proceedings. He said all proceedings by ‘illegally constituted so-called Court of Arbitration’ awards, and decisions were “null and void,” and maintained that India’s position on holding the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.

Last year in August, the PCA ruled in favour of Pakistan on issues of general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying that India would let flow the waters of the Western rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use.

The Hague-based PCA issued a binding Award on the interpretation of the IWT on August 8, 2025. in a case brought by Pakistan in 2016. The court says that awards of a court of arbitration and the decisions of a Neutral Expert are final and binding on both parties.

The PCA has also ruled that the specified exceptions for the generation of hydro-electric plants must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the IWT, rather than to what India might consider an “ideal” or “best practices” approach.

Political and diplomatic experts on Sunday strongly condemned the Indian government’s rejection of the ICA’s ruling on the IWT, terming it a serious violation of international law and justice.

Former ambassador Manzoorul Haq, while criticising the statement issued by the Indian government spokesperson rejecting the international court’s authority, said it reflected the fascist Modi government’s disregard for international legal institutions.

He said that the ICA, based in The Hague, issued a historic rulings about IWT that were binding on member states.

Talking to APP, he said India had already acted against UN Security Council resolutions on Kashmir and was now ignoring the historic ruling of the ICA regarding the IWT, exposing New Delhi’s disregard for international organisations and commitment.

Manzoor said India had neither accepted the establishment of the arbitration court nor recognised its rulings and awards, which undermined international commitments, the rule of law and the World Bank’s guarantee of the treaty.

He said India’s repeated violations of the IWT threatened the sanctity of international treaties and inter-state relations, adding that the RSS-backed Modi government should be held accountable for its illegal actions.

According to him, India’s decision to hold the treaty in abeyance would jeopardise peace in the subcontinent. He warned that any conflict between two nuclear powers over water resources could have dangerous consequences far beyond the region.