ISLAMABAD: India cannot stop the flow of water into Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty, a top Pakistani official said on Monday, asserting that Islamabad will move the International Court for Arbitration if New Delhi halts the water from the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas rivers. The official of the Permanent Commission for Indus Waters alleged that India had "continuously been involved in water aggression".
Last month, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said in New Delhi that India had decided to "stop" the flow of its share of water to Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.
Pakistan responded to his remarks, saying it was not concerned over India's plan to stop the flow of its share of water. "The Ministry of Water and Power is reviewing India's move to stop water from flowing into Pakistan. As per the Indus Water Treaty, India cannot stop water from flowing into Pakistan and if they do so then we will move the International Court for Arbitration," Geo News reported, quoting an official as saying.
"India's Indus Water Commission did not apprise Pakistan regarding the move to stop the flow of water," the official said. It will take India several years to change the direction of the water to keep it from flowing into Pakistan, the official said.
Under the Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960, the waters of the western rivers - the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab - was given to Pakistan and those of the eastern rivers - the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej - to India.