ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan on Thursday emphatically said that the World Bank-mediated Indus Basin Treaty could not be altered or suspended unilaterally.
“No country can abrogate the treaty,” the Foreign Office Spokesman said in his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday.
The spokesman said that Pakistan was keeping an eye on the evolving situation and it would follow its strategy in case of any violation of the treaty.
“We will assess India’s activities within the framework of the Indus Waters Treaty,” Zakaria said.
Nafees Zakaria pointed out that there was an arbitration mechanism to resolve the dispute regarding implementation of the treaty.
“We resolved many Indus Waters Treaty disputes amicably in the past,” the spokesman added.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960, Pakistan had control over three western rivers including the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum while Indian controlled the three eastern rivers including the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej.
In reply to a question, the foreign office spokesman said that Pakistan was pursuing the policy of peaceful neighborhood as envisioned by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
“We want to amicably resolving all outstanding issues including Kashmir with India,” he said.
The spokesman said that Kashmir dispute was bone of contention between Pakistan and India and added that the international must play its due role in resolving the longstanding issue.
