Pakistan has praised an international court’s ruling outlining how India must design new run-of-river hydropower projects on the Western Rivers, Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus, governed by the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Islamabad says the verdict backs its stance on the treaty, which India suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack..

India, however, has never recognised the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which reportedly said India must “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use. Instead, India prefers resolving such disputes through the neutral expert mechanism.

Pakistan’s foreign office said Monday: “The specified exceptions for generation of hydro-electric plants must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the treaty, rather than to what India might consider an ‘ideal’ or ‘best practices’ approach.”

Background of the dispute

India’s formal response is expected on Wednesday. Officials noted that New Delhi had earlier sought to change the IWT after long-running disputes over the Kishanganga and Ratle projects in Jammu & Kashmir. India has also never agreed with the World Bank’s decision to activate both the neutral expert process and, at Pakistan’s request, the Court of Arbitration on the same matters, a move it says creates practical and legal problems.

In October 2022, the World Bank appointed both a neutral expert and a Court of Arbitration, despite acknowledging India’s concerns about holding the two proceedings at the same time.

After Monday’s ruling, Pakistan repeated its commitment to follow the IWT and urged India to restart its implementation. India has maintained that the treaty will remain on hold until Pakistan takes steps against cross-border terrorism.

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