Pakistan on Thursday called upon the World Bank to set up its court of arbitration under the Indus Waters Treaty after India hinted at restricting the flow of water into Pakistan from its share of rivers.
Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Faisal told a weekly press briefing that contrary to India’s reluctance, Pakistan favoures the continuity of the treaty and also smooth functioning of its dispute resolution mechanism.
The comments came after India’s Minister of Water Resources and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said New Delhi will stop Pakistan’s share of water as allocated under the Indus Waters Treaty. Gadkari also announced that India was not bound to follow the treaty and had plans to divert the water flow to Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. “India and Pakistan signed the water treaty based on friendship that has long since vanished. So we are not bound to follow this treaty,” said Gadkari.
The FO spokesman said Indus Waters Treaty was mutually agreed upon between Pakistan and India, however India violated it by constructing Kishanganga and the under-progress Ratley hydroelectric projects.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960, Islamabad has unrestricted access to the western rivers – Indus, Jhelum and Chenab – while New Delhi enjoys the same authority over the eastern rivers – Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
On Afghan peace process, the FO spokesman said Pakistan supports dialogue and political solution of the issue with focus on Afghan-led and Afghan-owned approach. He said Pakistan urges all the stakeholders to converge their energies on negotiations to avoid conflict in the war-torn country.
On chances of meeting between Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization moot on May 21-22 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, he said an informal handshake could be a possibility, however there is no meeting scheduled so far.
The spokesman confirmed that Asia Bibi, a Christian woman acquitted by the Supreme Court on charges of blasphemy, has left Pakistan on her own free will. However, he did not specify which country she has moved to.
On the chaotic situation in Libya, the spokesman said Pakistan’s mission is in touch with the representatives of Pakistani community and has advised them to register with the embassy for prompt coordination in case of any emergency situation.
On recent detention of some Chinese citizens by the Federal Investigation Agency on charges of human trafficking, the spokesman declined to comment, saying the matter pertains to ministry of interior.