He also said that China supports Pakistan’s viewpoint on the Kashmir issue which Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had raised again in his address at the general assembly.
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Such a move could be seen as abridging the decades-old Indus Water Treaty, which has successfully regulated valuable water resources between the two nations for more than 50 years, by giving Pakistan exclusive control over the Indus River’s westward tributaries and relegating three others to India. “Its revocation can be taken as an act of war, or a hostile act against Pakistan”.
Later on Tuesday, Pakistan approached the World Bank amid reports that India could revoke the 56-year-oldwater-sharing treaty, with senior Pakistani officials taking up the matter with the worldwide lender which had mediated the water-sharing deal.
Pakistan reminded the World Bank that the pact gives it an important role in establishing a court of arbitration by facilitating the appointment of three judges. Since the signing of the treaty, the two countries have not engaged in any water wars, though there have been close calls, including a dispute in 2007 regarding the construction of Baglihar Dam on the Chenab, which was held up by Pakistan.
Pakistan’s former Indus Water Commissioner Jamat Ali Shah on Monday slammed India for threatening to block the flow of water. But Pakistan has already threatened India with violating the IWT, calling the hydropower plan an “act of war” if it is carried out.
Sartaz Aziz briefed lawmakers on the Indus Water Treaty starting that global law prohibits Indian from unilaterally changing the treaty.
The Pak PM reiterated that violence on Kashmiris for their right to self-determination, promised by UNSC resolutions, would never be tolerated and the oppressed Kashmiris deserved not only Pakistan’s support but also the support of the entire world.
Deputy Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said on Wednesday that Beijing “hopes that Pakistan and India will strengthen channels for dialogue, appropriately handle any differences, improve bilateral relations, and together protect the region’s peace and stability”.
The move followed the Indian government’s decision to suspend talks under the Indus Waters Commission as a response to the terror attack in Uri that killed 18 soldiers.
“Not only Kulbhushan Jhadav but we also have Brahamdagh Bugti, to whom India issued a visa on a fake identity as proof”, Asif said.
India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, the water resources secretary and senior officials were present at the meeting, the paper said.
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The World Bank brokered the 1960 treaty between the two nations to regulate the flow of six rivers.
