Pakistan Says All Options Remain Open to Defend Indus Water Rights
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: Pakistan has said that all diplomatic and “non-diplomatic” options remain on the table to protect its water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, after India rejected a new award by a treaty-based Court of Arbitration that Islamabad says reaffirmed the continuing force of the landmark water-sharing agreement.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, speaking at his weekly press briefing on September 2, welcomed what Pakistan described as the court’s “clear and authoritative pronouncements” and urged India to return to full compliance with the 1960 treaty.
Andrabi said Pakistan considered the unanimous award an important reaffirmation of the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty and the principle that disputes over the shared river system should be handled through mechanisms established by the treaty and international law.
Pakistan Says India Cannot Walk Away From Award
The latest dispute centres on India’s rejection of the arbitration process and the court’s conclusions.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, India’s rejection cannot extinguish or alter New Delhi’s obligations under the treaty. Islamabad argues that India, as a signatory, remains bound by the agreement and its dispute-resolution framework.
The Foreign Office also rejected the idea that the proceedings could simply be dismissed as a unilateral Pakistani exercise.
Andrabi said the dispute-resolution mechanism prescribed by the treaty was followed in establishing the proceedings and maintained that India could not absolve itself of responsibilities arising from a court constituted under treaty provisions.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration’s September 1 award reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force and binding despite India’s attempt to place its participation in the treaty in “abeyance.” India has rejected the arbitration proceedings and their conclusions.
What Does ‘Non-Diplomatic Options’ Mean?
One of the most consequential elements of the briefing was Andrabi’s statement that Pakistan retained “all diplomatic and non-diplomatic options.”
However, he did not define what “non-diplomatic” meant, nor did he announce a military response, operational decision, deadline or specific retaliatory measure.
That distinction is essential.
The phrase should therefore be reported as an official Pakistani formulation rather than interpreted as a declaration that military action against India has been authorised or is imminent.
Asked which forum Pakistan could approach to secure implementation of the award — including whether Islamabad could turn to the UN Security Council or the World Bank — Andrabi did not identify a specific next forum. Instead, he said Pakistan retained all options concerning both follow-up to the ruling and what Islamabad calls India’s “weaponization of water.”
India Rejects Court’s Findings
India has maintained that it does not recognise the Court of Arbitration proceedings in the dispute and has rejected its findings.
Pakistan takes the opposite legal position, arguing that the treaty cannot be suspended or placed in abeyance unilaterally and that its dispute-settlement mechanisms continue to operate.
The latest award strengthens Pakistan’s legal argument within the arbitration process, but it does not by itself resolve the political confrontation or compel immediate Indian compliance in practice.
That distinction matters because a favourable arbitration award and its practical enforcement are separate issues.
Why the Indus Waters Treaty Matters
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed by Pakistan and India in 1960, with the World Bank playing a facilitating role.
It established a framework for sharing the waters of the Indus river system. Broadly, Pakistan received rights over the western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — while India received rights over the eastern rivers — the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — subject to detailed provisions governing permitted uses. The agreement also created mechanisms for resolving technical differences and legal disputes.
The treaty survived decades of political hostility and armed conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, making the current confrontation over its future particularly significant.
Pakistan argues that India’s unilateral approach to transboundary water management threatens both its treaty rights and wider regional stability. India, meanwhile, has defended its own position and rejected the legitimacy of the arbitration proceedings at issue.
Pakistan Raises ‘Weaponization of Water’ Concern
Andrabi also accused India of the “weaponization of water.” That phrase represents the Pakistani government’s political and strategic assessment and should not be presented as an independent judicial finding.
Pakistan has previously raised objections over reported Indian water-diversion plans and proposed projects involving the Chenab system, arguing that actions affecting western rivers must comply with India’s obligations under the treaty.
The latest Foreign Office statement broadens that concern by linking the court ruling to Pakistan’s wider water-security strategy.
No Specific Retaliatory Action Announced
Despite the strong language, Pakistan’s September 2 briefing did not announce any specific retaliatory measure against India.
There was no declaration of military action, no announcement that Pakistan would immediately approach the UN Security Council, and no new deadline issued to New Delhi.
Instead, Islamabad’s immediate public position is that the arbitration award reinforces its legal case and that India should return to full treaty compliance.
Andrabi argued that international treaties and dispute-settlement mechanisms cannot be accepted selectively depending on whether their outcomes suit a particular party.
The next stage will therefore focus not only on the legal status of the Indus Waters Treaty but on whether the latest ruling can influence Indian policy and how Pakistan chooses to pursue implementation.
For now, Islamabad’s message is deliberately broad: the treaty remains binding in Pakistan’s view, the arbitration award should be respected, and Pakistan says it is reserving its options to protect its water rights.
