Indus Water Treaty: Arbitration court to hear Pakistan’s stance tomorrow

ISLAMABAD: The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague will hear Pakistan’s stance on dispute with India pursuant to the Indus Waters Treaty tomorrow, ARY News reported on Friday, citing sources.

According to details, the first hearing of a dispute between Pakistan and India pursuant to the Indus Waters Treaty began on Friday at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The dispute pertains to concerns raised by Pakistan over India’s construction of the 330MW Kishenganga hydroelectric project on River Jhelum and plans to construct the 850MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project on River Chenab in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IIOJK).

Islamabad has asked the Arbitration Court to halt New Delhi from constructing the projects, which will reduce the flow of water coming to Pakistan.

Sources told ARY News that the Pakistani delegation headed by Secretary Water Resources Hassan Nasir is present in The Hague, besides Indus Water Commissioner Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah and officials of the Attorney General’s Office.

Earlier in October, Islamabad called for respecting and implementing “in letter and spirit” the 1960 Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan at a preparatory meeting for the UN Water Conference 2023.

Addressing the UN Water Conference, Ambassador Munir Akram said: “Besides climate change, Pakistan’s water-vulnerability is also flow from its status as a lower-riparian state.

“Many of our catchment areas and their ecosystems traverse boundaries,” he told a large number of delegates attending the meeting. “Changes on the other side of the border have a direct impact on us,” the Pakistani envoy said, referring to India.

“It is essential that water sharing agreements – such as the Indus Water Treaty – should be respected and implemented in letter and spirit,” he maintained.

Pakistan is among the top 10 water scarce countries in the world, and has also been among the top ten climate vulnerable countries.