A big news is coming amidst India Pakistan tension. India postponed the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) after the terrorist attack on 22 April in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Shortly thereafter, Pakistan has expressed its desire to discuss with India about the treaty. Sources gave information about this.
According to the information, Pakistan’s Water Resources Secretary Syed Ali Murtaza has reacted to the formal notification of the Government of India on the suspension of the treaty. He expressed the readiness of his government to discuss the specific objections raised by New Delhi in a letter to Indian Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee.
India is adamant on its decision
He also questioned the legal aspects of India’s move and said that there is no exit clause in the treaty. Although the Government of India is still firm on its decision. The officials of the Ministry of Water Power refused to officially comment on the incident, but government sources indicated that India’s situation is unlikely to change in current circumstances.
Sources reiterated that the decision to suspend the treaty was taken due to cross -border terrorism targeting Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, in a letter written on April 24, Mukherjee informed Murtaza that Pakistan’s refusal to attend the conversation under the treaty and constantly sponsoring terrorism is a violation of the treaty. ”
Call to reconsider India
Significantly, Pakistan’s latest appeal – in the letter described as a call to reconsider the decision due to the dependence of millions of people on regulated water – was done when India performed flushing and disliked operations in Bagihar and Salal hydroelectric projects on the Chenab river.
Murtaza’s letter shows that Pakistan has softened its stand. Sources said that although the tone of communication remains aggressive and Islamabad has termed India’s move unilateral and illegal, Indian officials said that the principle of change in circumstances provides the basis for reviewing the treaty.
Indus Water Treaty occurred in 1960
Earlier, India issued notices to Pakistan in January 2023 and September 2024. The Indus Water Treaty, an intermediated by the World Bank, has controlled the distribution and use of water of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960.
The Indus river system includes the main river, Indus and its tributaries. Ravi, Beas and Sutlej are collectively called Eastern rivers, while Indus, Jhelum and Chenab are called Western rivers. The water of this river system is important for both India and Pakistan.
