Islamabad: Federal ministers have said Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is not merely an international agreement but it is a matter linked to life, economy and future of 240 million people of Pakistan.
If this agreement fails then no international agreement in the world will remain secure. Pakistan will protect the sanctity of this agreement at every cost. If attempt is made to stop water then national leadership is determined to give effective reply
for restoration of right of people.
These views were expressed by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Climate Change Minister Dr Musadik Malik, while addressing aninternational seminar titled “Indus Waters Treaty: A Key Instrument of Peace and Regional Stability”, held in Islamabad Tuesday.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said today we are not talking about one agreement but we are talking on jugular vein of Pakistan.
He said Indus Valley Civilization is our real identity. We are heirs of this great civilization.
‘When we identify ourselves as Pakistanis, we ask a question as to who we are. And if you go back into history, the Indus water civilisation defines us as people. Whenever I go abroad, I always tell my counterparts that we are the people of the Indus Valley civilisation,’ he said.
He held water is not only a natural resource for Pakistan but it is basic issue of life.
“Pakistan’s history is, in many ways, the history of the Indus River,” minister added.
Highlighting the importance of water security, Tarar said water is vital to Pakistan’s survival, while agriculture remains the backbone of the national economy and the Indus River serves as its lifeline.
He added that more than six decades ago, Pakistan and India made an extraordinary decision that led to one of the world’s most durable water-sharing agreements.
Tarar said that Pakistan has consistently demonstrated its commitment to peaceful relations, constructive dialogue and the faithful implementation of the agreement.
He held Pakistani leadership has repeatedly made it clear people of Pakistan have complete and legal right on water of River Indus. However India tried to suspend IWT unilaterally which runs contrary to the spirit of international agreements.
He said Pakistan will defend the sanctity and legal position of IWT at every cost.
There is need to reiterate the resolve today that IWT will stay because this agreement is basis of peace, stability and water cooperation in the region.
Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik said Farmers are becoming forced to quit agriculture due to irregular water flows. .
he held the real challenge facing Pakistan is not water scarcity or excessive river flows but the control of water, warning that manipulating water resources amounts to using them as a weapon.
He added that the consequences of disrupted river systems extend beyond Pakistan and also affect neighbouring Bangladesh.
He said water levels at the Marala Headworks fluctuate sharply, with extremely low flows one day and flood-like conditions the next due to releases from India. According to the minister, the issue is one of justice rather than the environment, as control over water flows remains the central concern.
Malik also criticised India, saying that it controls the flow of Pakistan’s waters while ranking among the world’s largest contributors to pollution. He further claimed that India’s actions had resulted in thousands of deaths and injuries in Pakistan.
The climate change minister said the core issue is the use of water as a strategic tool by controlling river flows. He described the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty as one of the world’s strongest international agreements, noting that it remained in force despite three wars between Pakistan and India. If such an agreement cannot be upheld, he said, it would undermine confidence in international treaties worldwide.
Malik maintained that no country should be allowed to hold regional or global peace hostage. He said Pakistan has approached the Court of Arbitration, which has ruled that the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be suspended or terminated unilaterally and that India cannot divert river flows allocated to Pakistan.
He added that the court has also ruled that India cannot construct water storage projects on rivers allocated to Pakistan under the treaty, alleging that New Delhi has refused to accept those decisions.
The minister warned that failure to uphold the treaty would set a dangerous precedent for lower riparian states around the world, saying the issue extends beyond Pakistan and carries global significance.
Referring to Pakistan’s experience of devastating floods, Malik said the country’s concerns over water are rooted in justice rather than environmental issues alone. He reiterated that agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and depends heavily on reliable water supplies, stressing that Pakistan will not compromise on its share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty.
He underlined that India using water as weapon is threatening trend for peace and security of the region.
He indicated that India is not only trying to affect flow of water share of Pakistan but it is included in the list of major countries of world which are spreading pollution.
As many as 6000 Pakistanis have lost lives and thousand have been injured due to these Indian steps while loss of lives at such massive scale has not been witnessed in several wars.
IWT is enumerated among the world’s strongest agreements and it stayed despite 3 wars between Pakistan and India.
No country can be allowed to hold regional and international peace hostage, he added.