Srinagar: The Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (JKDFP) has welcomed the ruling of the international Court of Arbitration concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, describing it as an important development in reaffirming the principles of international law, treaty obligations and the rejection of unilateral actions.

JKDFP Spokesperson Advocate Arshad Iqbal said the ruling carries significance beyond the immediate question of water resources. According to him, its broader message is that one party to an international agreement cannot unilaterally impose decisions that undermine the treaty framework or the legitimate rights of the other party. He said the Indus Waters Treaty is directly connected with rivers and water resources originating in and flowing through the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, the ruling has wider implications for the question of unilateral actions undertaken by India in the disputed region. 'India must understand that unilateral constitutional, administrative or legislative measures cannot extinguish the internationally recognised disputed character of Jammu and Kashmir,' Advocate Arshad Iqbal said.

He referred particularly to 5 August 2019, when India unilaterally altered the constitutional and administrative arrangements of Jammu and Kashmir, saying that such measures cannot determine the final status of a disputed territory. 'The lesson is clear: occupation or unilateral legislation cannot substitute for the freely expressed will of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said.

The JKDFP spokesperson said that while the ruling is undoubtedly welcome news for the people of Pakistan, it also carries an important message for the people of Jammu and Kashmir: no unilateral decision taken by India can erase their political rights or alter the fundamental nature of the Kashmir dispute. He stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains unresolved and that any lasting settlement must be consistent with international law and the principle of the right of self-determination recognised in the relevant United Nations framework.

The JKDFP called upon the international community, particularly the United Nations, to take serious note of unilateral measures affecting Jammu and Kashmir and to intensify diplomatic efforts for a peaceful and just resolution of the dispute. 'The Indus Waters Treaty ruling reinforces a fundamental principle: unilateral actions cannot override international law, treaty obligations or the legitimate rights of a people. The future of Jammu and Kashmir must ultimately be determined in accordance with the right of self-determination of its people, rather than through unilateral decisions imposed by one party,' Advocate Arshad Iqbal concluded.