Treaty held in abeyance, India writes to Pakistan

India has sent a formal letter to Pakistan saying the Indus Waters Treaty inked in 1960 has been kept in abeyance with immediate effect.

The letter blames Pakistan for abetting cross-border terrorism as one of the reasons for its action. Separately it says Islamabad was in breach of the terms of the treaty as it has refused to enter into negotiations despite repeated reminders.

On terrorism, the letter says “the obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”.

“Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the treaty and is thus in breach of the treaty,” it says.

Debashree Mukherjee Secretary in the Jal Shakti Ministry today wrote to her Pakistan counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza, secretary, ministry of water resources, Pakistan. The Cabinet Committee on Security chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday decided to put the treaty on hold after it was found that the Pahalgam terror attack had links to Pakistan.

Mukherjee, in her letter, reminds Pakistan that India has sent notices seeking a modification of the Indus Waters Treaty-1960 under Article XII (3).

These communications cited fundamental changes in the circumstances that have taken place since the treaty was executed that require a re-assessment of obligations under the various Articles of the treaty, the letter says.

These changes include significantly altered population demographics, the need to accelerate the development of clean energy and changes underlying the sharing of waters under the treaty, it says.

The resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilisation of its rights under the treaty. The Government of India has hereby decided that the treaty will be held in abeyance with immediate effect, the letter concludes.

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