ISLAMABAD: Pakistan welcomed the award announced by the Court of Arbitration (CoA) on the general interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
As per the statement issued by the Foreign Office, the award originally rendered on Friday was published today on the court’s official website.
The ruling provides detailed interpretations of the design criteria for new run-of-river hydropower projects that India intends to construct on the western rivers Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus allocated to Pakistan under the treaty.
The court stated that India must “let flow” the waters of the western rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, stressing that Pakistan’s right to unhindered water flow in accordance with the 1960 agreement brokered by the World Bank.
The award also mentioned several technical aspects, including provisions on low-level outlets, gated spillways, turbine intakes, and free-board specifications.
The Court of Arbitration underlined that its awards are final and binding upon both parties Pakistan and India leaving no room for further dispute over these matters within the treaty’s framework.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, governs the distribution and usage of water from six rivers in the Indus basin between India and Pakistan.
Also Read: Coordination committee holds QESCO responsible for Gwadar water crisis
Disputes over the treaty’s interpretation have periodically strained bilateral relations, particularly regarding India’s hydropower projects on rivers that flow into Pakistan.
