India cannot unilaterally suspend IWT: Mohsin Leghari
Islamabad: Former Punjab Irrigation Minister Mohsin Leghari has said that India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mohsin Leghari, a water policy expert and associated with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Pakistan National Governance Programme, in a media interview termed the Indus Waters Treaty as one of the most successful water sharing treaties in the world.
Emphasizing the strong legal and institutional framework of the Indus Waters Treaty, he said the treaty contains strong legal safeguards and it is difficult for any country to unilaterally withdraw from it and any such move will trigger the international arbitration mechanism.
Rejecting concerns regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Mohsin Leghari said urgent diplomatic efforts are needed to resolve the disputes and the international community should be informed about India’s boycott of the arbitration tribunal, etc.
He said that along with diplomatic efforts, Pakistan should strengthen the water management system derived from its own resources, improve its conservation measures and adopt a sustainable water storage strategy to ensure long-term water resilience.
Mohsin Leghari demanded that both countries resume the meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission in collaboration with the World Bank and continue negotiations to modernize the treaty under Article XII of the Indus Waters Treaty.
