Pakistan fully committed to implement Indus Water Treaty: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan remained fully committed to the implementation of the Indus Water Treaty, including its dispute settlement mechanism, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said on Thursday.

While responding to media queries concerning the decision by the Court of Arbitration in the Hague on the question of its competence to hear Pakistan-India water disputes, the spokesperson said, “The Government of Pakistan is in receipt of the Award of the Court of Arbitration, addressing its competence and the way forward on the disputes between Pakistan and India concerning the Kishenganga and Ratle Hydroelectric Projects; and, wider questions of the interpretation and application of the Indus Waters Treaty.”

The court had upheld its competence and determined that it will now move forward to address the issues in dispute, she added.

She said, “The Indus Waters Treaty is a foundational agreement between Pakistan and India on water sharing. Pakistan remains fully committed to the Treaty’s implementation, including its dispute settlement mechanism. We hope that India will also implement the treaty in good faith.”