ISLAMABAD: The participants of a roundtable on Thursday highlighted the illegality of Indian repudiation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and called for a multi-dimensional strategy to counter Indian actions, including legal, diplomatic, epistemic outreach, and advocacy with international law community at important global forums.

The call was made by the speakers, including international law experts, at a roundtable on “Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) Under Strain: Legal, Hydrological, and Strategic Implications of India’s Recent Actions,” conducted at Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI).

Those attended the discussion included legal experts Ahmer Bilal Soofi and Faisal Naqvi, Pakistan’s Commissioner for Indus Waters Mehar Ali Shah, former diplomats, representatives of attorney general, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Water Resources.

The speakers expressed the need for proper sequencing and calibration of the legal options available with Pakistan at multiple international forums like the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council.

There was a consensus amongst the participants about raising the cost of non-compliance with international law for countries like India. The need for global powers to lead by example in fostering a spirit of international law and nudging the non-compliant nations towards compliance was also highlighted.

The speakers affirmed that the IWT remained a legally binding international agreement that could not be unilaterally suspended, held in abeyance, or terminated by either party under its existing provisions. They also reviewed the implications of India’s recent stance for regional peace, water security, and bilateral relations.

Emphasising Pakistan’s heavy dependence on the Indus Basin for agriculture, food security, energy production, and livelihoods, the participants cautioned that any disruption to river flows could carry serious socio-economic consequences, while hydrological experts noted that infrastructure, geography, and seasonal variations impose real technical limits on altering water flows in the short term.

The discussion also identified climate change, glacier melt, shifting precipitation patterns, and rising water stress as emerging challenges demanding greater regional cooperation.

They stressed on resolving disputes through the treaty’s institutional mechanisms — technical dialogue and established dispute-resolution procedures, including recourse to international institutions such as the ICJ and Court of Arbitration — rather than unilateral actions, and underscored the importance of international law governing transboundary watercourses in preserving regional stability.

Alongside sustained diplomatic engagement, legal preparedness, and evidence-based research to present Pakistan’s position in international forums, participants called for strengthening domestic water governance through improved storage capacity, efficient irrigation systems, conservation measures, and modern water management practices.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2026