ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed willingness to discuss issues concerning the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with India.

Weeks after India formally notified Pakistan to amend the bilateral treaty due to “fundamental and unforeseen changes in circumstances,” the Foreign Office said on Thursday that all discussions could take place within the treaty’s existing framework.

During her weekly press briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was asked about India’s intentions to review the water-sharing agreement.

In response, Ms Baloch reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the treaty and said the issues could be discussed between the commissioners for Indus Waters appointed by both countries.

Says deliberations should be held within existing mechanism; calls Lebanon attack ‘terrorism’ by Israel

Under the IWT, the commissioners are part of the Permanent Indus Commission, comprising officials from India and Pakistan. The body oversees the treaty’s implementation and exchanges bilateral data.

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“The Indus Waters Treaty is an important treaty that has served both Pakistan and India well over the last several decades. We believe it is the gold standard of bilateral treaties on water sharing, and Pakistan is fully committed to its implementation. We expect India to also remain committed to the treaty,” Ms Baloch stated.

She said the commission is the “appropriate forum” for discussing and addressing all issues related to the treaty.

Lebanon attack

The Foreign Office spokesperson also condemned the detonation of pagers and other communication devices in Lebanon, calling it a “reprehensible act of terrorism”.

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The official reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast stance against terrorism and offered condolences to the victims’ families, the people, and the government of Lebanon.

The repeated attacks, Ms Baloch said, are a manifestation of Israel’s “alarming adventurism” in the region.

The spokesperson reaffirmed support for Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, emphasising the need for the international community to hold Israel accountable for its actions. She called for the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s July advisory, which called Israel’s occupation of Pales­tinian territories illegal and pressed the international community to uphold Palesti­nians’ right to self-determination.

Action against Afghan diplomat

Ms Baloch also said that action against the Afghan consul general for ‘disrespecting’ Pakistan’s national anthem was still on the cards.

FO has already lodged a formal protest with the Afghan embassy and sought an explanation for the conduct of Hafiz Mohibullah Shakir, who rema­ined seated as the national ant­h­em was played during an event in Peshawar earlier this week.

“We have conveyed our very strong protest with the Afghan authorities, and decisions will be taken after internal deliberations and after the conclusion of consultations with the Afghan government,” she said, adding that Pakistan reserved the right to take action in accordance with diplomatic norms and practices.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024