LAHORE: Attorney General of Pakistan Mansoor Awan has said that Pakistan will continue its legal battle with India over the Indus Waters Treaty and pursue efforts to legally bind New Delhi to honour the agreement.
Addressing a seminar titled Indus Waters Treaty and National Security in Lahore, Attorney General Mansoor Awan said the treaty was signed between Pakistan and India to govern the distribution of water. He said one of its key provisions was that neither country could unilaterally withdraw from or make changes to the agreement.
He said India’s current stance on the matter was evident to the entire world, adding that Pakistan had serious reservations over the issue. He also noted that Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace in the prevailing global context were before the international community.
The attorney general said Pakistan would continue pursuing legal avenues to protect the Indus Waters Treaty and ensure its implementation. He added that the country would maintain its efforts to legally compel India to abide by the agreement.
Mansoor Awan said Pakistan uses approximately 90 percent of its agricultural water through the irrigation system, warning that even a minor disruption or reduction in water flows could affect the country’s agricultural system. He stressed that the water issue was not limited to agriculture but affected every citizen of Pakistan, making the protection of water resources a matter of national importance.
The attorney general also raised questions about the country’s own measures for water conservation, reiterating that no country could unilaterally withdraw from or alter an agreement.
He said India’s current position on the matter was known to the international community and reiterated Pakistan’s serious concerns. He added that Pakistan’s efforts to maintain peace amid the prevailing global situation were also evident to the world.
