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PCA professed IWT remains operational

19 0
01.07.2025

India had the clarity that, all decisions on Indus Water Treaty-1960 (IWT) can be taken mutually by India and Pakistan, since there is no unilateralism in the treaty.

Despite this clearly written provision in the IWT, India took an illegal and unilateral decision on April 23, 2025 calling suspension of IWT-1960. India made the so-called Pahalgam attack as an excuse for suspension of IWT-1960 which has no relevance with the treaty concluded in 1960. Pakistan protested over this Indian illegal act, nevertheless, India continued with this decision without any legal pro-vision. Pakistan however, approached Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague to decide over this Indian obstinacy of suspension of this treaty. Hague based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued its verdict on June 27, 2025. PCA issued a “Supplemental Award of Competence” in this case clearly stating that IWT-1960 cannot be unilaterally held in abeyance or suspension. Therefore, Indian decision of its suspension or keeping it in abeyance is illegal. Indeed, as per PCA; ‘The treaty remains in force’. “The Court first considered the terms of the Treaty (IWT), which do not provide for the unilaeral ‘abeyance’ or ‘suspension’ of the Treaty; rather, according to its terms, the Treaty continues in force until terminated with the mutual consent of India and Pakistan.” As per........

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