Pahalgam terror attack: India notifies Pakistan that it’s pausing IWT; 4 ministries plan next steps

The formal notification came a day after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) decided to keep the treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack in which at least 26 people were killed and 10 were injured.

A letter in this regard was sent by Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary of the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, to her Pakistani counterpart, Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of the country’s Ministry of Water Resources.

“This is with reference to Government of India’s notices sent to the Government of Pakistan seeking modification of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 (the Treaty) under Article XII (3) of the Treaty. These communications cited fundamental changes in the circumstances that have taken place since the Treaty was executed that require a reassessment of obligations under the various Articles of the Treaty read with its Annexures,” Mukherjee wrote in the letter.

“These changes include significantly altered population demographics, the need to accelerate the development of clean energy and other changes in the assumptions underlying the sharing of waters under the Treaty,” states the letter.

“The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.

“The resulting security uncertainties have directly impeded India’s full utilization of its rights under the Treaty. Furthermore, apart from other breaches committed by it, Pakistan has refused to respond to India’s request to enter into negotiations as envisaged under the Treaty and is thus in breach of the Treaty. The Government of India has hereby decided that the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 will be held in abeyance with immediate effect,” it added.