Pakistan says it retains all options on IWT

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Wednesday warned India that its rejection of a Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling upholding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) could not absolve it of its treaty obligations, insisting that Islamabad retained "all diplomatic and non-diplomatic options" to ensure implementation of the award.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said India could not invoke international law when convenient and discard it when the outcome did not suit New Delhi, urging it to return to full compliance with the 1960 water-sharing agreement.

"India's rejection of the award cannot extinguish or otherwise alter India's obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty," Andrabi said at his final news briefing before taking up a new diplomatic assignment.

The PCA ruling issued on September 1 reaffirmed that the IWT remains in force and binding, rejecting India's unilateral attempt to place the treaty in "abeyance".

Pakistan has welcomed the ruling as a vindication of its long-standing position that disputes over the Indus waters must be resolved through the treaty's prescribed mechanisms.

Responding to India's rejection of the ruling, Andrabi said such an approach undermined the sanctity of treaties and international dispute-settlement mechanisms. He added that unilateral management of transboundary waters was particularly concerning in a sensitive region such as South Asia.

"Pakistan retains all options regarding the follow-up to this decision, as well as the broader issue of India's weaponization of water," the spokesperson said, adding that the dispute-resolution mechanism under the treaty had been duly followed.

He maintained that India's participation in the treaty-based process meant it could not disassociate itself from the outcome.

Turning to the Iran-US confrontation, Andrabi said Pakistan remained committed to diplomacy despite the latest escalation between the two sides.

He described the recent exchange of attacks as part of the cycle of escalation and retaliation that often characterises international conflicts, arguing that the latest flare-up should not be viewed as a failure of the mediation efforts.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek, while Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Earlier, Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir visited Tehran on August 25 as part of Pakistan's diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate the crisis, including the standoff over the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Andrabi said Pakistan remained hopeful that the parties would eventually return to negotiations, with the Islamabad MoU and Pakistan-Qatar joint statement providing a potential framework for renewed dialogue, including technical-level talks.

Asked about US President Trump's dismissal of the prospects for an agreement with Iran, the spokesperson said statements made during periods of escalation should not necessarily be interpreted as a final rejection of diplomacy.

"There's no question of it being alive or dead or half-dead," Andrabi said of the Islamabad MoU, arguing that a peace framework would remain relevant whenever the parties decided to resume negotiations.

Pakistan is also assessing the possible impact of new US economic measures on bilateral trade with Iran, he added.

On the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, Andrabi said the three countries had taken the first steps towards institutionalising the new defence framework.

The inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee was held in Istanbul on August 31, where the three sides reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace, stability, de-escalation and collective defence.

A permanent secretariat will be established in Saudi Arabia and will initially be headed by a Pakistani secretary-general for three years. The three countries will also expand cooperation in defence industries, technology development and joint production.

Andrabi said Pakistan was not aware of any formal applications from other countries to join the agreement, despite reports that several Muslim countries were interested.

He stressed that the focus should remain on the substance of the agreement rather than speculation over how it could respond to hypothetical future conflicts.

On Afghanistan, the spokesperson made clear that Pakistan's position remained unchanged despite renewed diplomatic activity, including China's efforts to revive the Urumqi process.

Chinese Special Representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong visited Islamabad from August 31 to September 1 and held detailed discussions with Pakistan's Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq.

Andrabi said Pakistan appreciated China's "constructive and sustained engagement" but warned that progress in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations depended on concrete and verifiable action by the Taliban government against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.

"There is no change in that position," he said, adding that Pakistan was seeking written and verifiable assurances from Kabul that Afghan territory would not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.

The spokesperson also played down the significance of Afghan Ambassador Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb's recent appearance at the National Defence University, describing it as an academic engagement rather than an indication of improving bilateral ties.

"There is no question of any such decision on engagement with Afghanistan," Andrabi said, stressing that any progress would hinge on assurances and actions by the Taliban authorities.