Indus Waters Treaty cannot be changed unilaterally, Tarar says

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Monday that Pakistan’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty has received international legal backing and that the agreement cannot be ended or altered by one side alone.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad alongside Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, Tarar said water security remained a vital issue for Pakistan and that the country had a legitimate right to it. He said the treaty provided a clear framework that was already in force and being implemented.

Tarar said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir had repeatedly underlined the significance of the issue. He said both had stated that "water is our lifeline, as well as our red line".

The information minister also announced that a seminar would be held in Islamabad on Tuesday to raise awareness about Pakistan’s rights under the Indus Waters Treaty.