India cannot unilaterally suspend or terminate IWT: Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh
Islamabad: Pakistan Federal Minister for Investment Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh has said that India cannot unilaterally suspend or terminate the Indus Waters Treaty, as any such move will be illegal and against international law.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh addressing the launch of a research report ‘Water, Climate Change and Diplomacy: Securing the Future of Pakistan’s Indus Basin’ organized by AMPAC Strategies in Islamabad, said the ongoing tension over water could have serious consequences not only for South Asia but also for global peace and economic stability.
The report said Pakistan will have to adopt a comprehensive national policy for water conservation from short-term emergency measures to effectively deal with the increasing risks of floods and the intensifying water crisis.
It warned that climate change, rapid melting of glaciers, population growth, dilapidated irrigation systems, indiscriminate use of groundwater and increasing pressure on the Indus River Basin have put Pakistan in a serious water conservation crisis.
The report recommended that Pakistan promoted better management of water resources at the domestic level as well as active water diplomacy at the regional level.
