ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (DPM/FM) Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said Pakistan remains committed to dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful settlement of all disputes with India, but made it clear that New Delhi’s unilateral attempt to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in “abeyance” cannot override its binding legal obligations.
Addressing the International Water Symposium organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna on Tuesday, Dar said Pakistan preferred “cooperation over coercion, dialogue over confrontation, and the rule of law over unilateralism,” while warning that any attempt to deprive Pakistan of waters allocated to it under the treaty would have serious implications for regional peace and security.
Dar said Pakistan had consistently sought to address differences with India through dialogue and the dispute-resolution mechanisms established under the IWT. He highlighted that the treaty must be respected and implemented in letter and spirit, irrespective of the state of bilateral political relations.
He said the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 after a decade-long negotiation, had provided a framework of certainty and predictability for both countries and was designed to keep the management of shared waters insulated from fluctuations in political relations.
Referring to India’s decision in April 2025 to place the treaty in “abeyance”, Dar said the IWT contained no provision allowing either party to unilaterally suspend, terminate or place it in abeyance.
He highlighted the 31 August 2026 unanimous Award of the Court of Arbitration constituted under the IWT, saying the court had rejected the grounds advanced for suspension or termination of the treaty and confirmed that it remained fully in force.
“The Court unequivocally confirmed that the Treaty remains fully in force and that India continues to be bound by its obligations,” Dar said, adding that the ruling reaffirmed the fundamental principle of international law that agreements must be kept.
DPM Dar also referred to the Court’s order on interim measures concerning India’s Ratle Hydroelectric Plant, saying restrictions had been imposed on the completion of specified components of the project pending the Neutral Expert’s final decision.
Dar said Pakistan was participating constructively in the Neutral Expert proceedings being administered by the Vienna Office of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, demonstrating Islamabad’s confidence in the institutional mechanisms created under the treaty.
He warned that using water as an instrument of pressure against a population of more than 250 million people would carry profound humanitarian, economic and security consequences.
“Despite these authoritative pronouncements, which firmly endorse Pakistan’s position and reject India’s actions, India continues its intransigent behaviour and illegal actions vis-à-vis IWT,” he said.
Dar stressed that the implications of the dispute extended beyond South Asia, warning that erosion of treaty-based arrangements could create a dangerous precedent for other transboundary river basins around the world.
He said international water governance should be based on equitable and reasonable utilisation, prevention of significant transboundary harm and cooperation, while recognising that the specific rights and obligations of individual river systems must be governed by their respective treaties.
Senator Dar outlined three principles for moving forward: respect and implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty in letter and spirit; resolution of all questions, differences and disputes through the mechanisms established under the treaty; and strengthened technical engagement, transparency and data-sharing between Pakistan and India.
Dar reiterated that Pakistan remained committed to dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful settlement of disputes, saying cooperation over shared waters was indispensable for regional peace, economic development and environmental sustainability.
At the same time, Dar made clear that Pakistan would safeguard its legitimate rights and interests under the IWT and international law, warning that any attempt to deprive Pakistan of waters rightfully allocated to it would have serious implications for regional peace and security.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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