Pakistan Urges UNSC to Press India on Indus Waters Treaty Restoration

Pakistan formally called upon the United Nations Security Council on Friday to exert pressure on India to restore the Indus Waters Treaty, marking one year since India's controversial suspension of the landmark 1960 water-sharing agreement. The appeal was lodged at the UNSC level, reflecting Islamabad's effort to internationalise the water rights dispute.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, had governed the sharing of the Indus River system between Pakistan and India for over six decades. India's suspension of the treaty last year was described by Islamabad as a grave violation of international law and a threat to Pakistan's water security and agricultural economy.

Pakistan's representative to the UN articulated that the suspension of a legally binding international treaty cannot be permitted to stand without consequence, urging Council members to act in accordance with their obligations under international law. The appeal specifically highlighted the downstream humanitarian and economic consequences for Pakistan's agrarian population.

The move marks a significant escalation in Pakistan's diplomatic response to the water crisis, taking the matter from bilateral channels to the world's most authoritative security body. India has previously argued that the suspension is tied to broader bilateral grievances, a characterisation Islamabad firmly rejects.