Indus Waters Treaty can’t be abolished unilaterally: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Indus Waters Treaty cannot be abolished unilaterally, Pakistan made it clear on Thursday.

Responding to a question in the weekly briefing on Thursday, Spokesman of Foreign Office Nafees Zakaria said: “Pakistan was closely monitoring the situation and would duly respond when any such situation arose. However, Pakistan was actively pursuing the issue at all appropriate fora, asking for neutral arbitration of the issue.”

He said, “We will assess India's activities within the framework of the Indus Waters Treaty. The Indus Basin Treaty cannot be altered or suspended unilaterally. No country can abrogate the treaty.”

He pointed out, “There is an arbitration mechanism to resolve the dispute regarding implementation of the treaty.” He said, “We resolved many IWT disputes amicably in the past.” To a question, the spokesman said, “Pakistan is pursuing the policy of peaceful neighborhood as envisioned by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. We want to amicably resolve all the outstanding issues, including Kashmir with India.”

He said, “The Kashmir dispute is a bone of contention between Pakistan and India" and added that the international powers must play their due role in resolving the longstanding issue. He reiterated Pakistan’s stance of durable peace in the region and shared prosperity through connectivity.

Nafees Zakaria said Pakistan would sincerely continue to support the cause of the people of Afghanistan and Palestine to ensure durable peace and economic stability of the regions that would be a contributory factor in the world peace.

He said, “The answer to the new Jewish settlements and ongoing conflict in the Middle East was some amicable solution to the problem for longlasting peace.”  About the Pak China Russia Trilateral group meeting in Moscow, he said, “The world community as well as Pakistan was keen to see meaningful peace and economic stability in Afghanistan.” “The group in its meeting on December 27 had agreed to proceed with consultations in an expanded format and would welcome the participation of Afghanistan,” he added.