Pakistan to issue formal diplomatic notice to India over IWT suspension

Officials say India will be asked to justify its unilateral treaty suspension in coming days

Listen to article

Pakistan has decided to issue a formal diplomatic notice to India following New Delhi’s unilateral move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, official sources said on Friday.

The decision was made after initial consultations between Pakistan’s ministries of foreign affairs, law, and water resources, Express News reported.

Pakistan has decided to formally serve a diplomatic notice to India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

According to sources, emergency legal and constitutional consultations have been held in response to India’s unilateral move, and preliminary groundwork has been completed.

Officials confirmed that the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Water Resources, and Law have coordinated to finalise the process, and a formal notice will be issued to New Delhi within the coming days through diplomatic channels.

Sources within the Indus Commission said the notice will seek concrete explanations from India for suspending the landmark 1960 treaty, which governs water sharing between the two countries.

There are also deliberations underway to lodge formal protests at global forums, aiming to highlight what Pakistan describes as Indian water aggression on the international stage.

Pakistan believes it holds legal precedence on the treaty and hopes that India will be compelled to revisit its decision. All actions will be taken following approval from the federal cabinet.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, a tourist destination in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir (IIOJK), which killed 26 people and injured several others.

India accused Pakistan of involvement without presenting evidence and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty unilaterally in addition to other measures like closure of Wagah-Attari border.

Pakistan condemned the attack and offered full cooperation in an impartial investigation. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to assist if India agreed to a neutral probe. Islamabad has also responded with tit-for-tat measures including the threat to suspend the Simla Agreement signed between the two South Asian neighbours in 1972.

Meanwhile, Indian leaders have issued threats of military action. In response, Pakistan’s political and military leadership has warned that any adventurism would be met with a firm and unforgettable response.