Pakistan calls for binding global water treaty to protect shared rivers

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik on Tuesday called for a new international legal framework to protect transboundary water resources, saying disputes over shared rivers have become issues of justice, food security and global stability rather than solely environmental concerns.

Addressing a seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty organised by the Institute of Regional Studies, Malik urged the international community to move beyond voluntary commitments and establish an enforceable global covenant carrying political, economic and diplomatic consequences for states that violate water-sharing obligations.

“There must be a covenant which has political consequences, economic consequences and diplomatic consequences,” he said, urging the world to adopt binding mechanisms for the protection of shared water resources.

Illustrating the impact of water insecurity, Malik recounted the story of a Pakistani farmer whose livelihood was repeatedly destroyed by floods, saying millions of people around the world faced similar challenges due to changing river flows and climate-related disasters.

He argued that the real danger was not only floods or droughts but the ability of upstream states to control water supplies relied upon by downstream populations.

The minister said nearly half of Pakistan’s population depends on agriculture, while a significant portion of the country’s economy and food security relies on the uninterrupted flow of the Indus river system.

Malik also linked climate change to growing water insecurity, saying the international community must establish binding legal mechanisms for shared rivers similar to those governing trade and nuclear non-proliferation.

Addressing the same seminar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the Indus Waters Treaty but warned that the country would respond if any attempt was made to block its share of water.

He said climate change, glacier melt and increasing water scarcity had made the treaty more important than ever for regional peace and stability.

Tarar said attempts to use water as a political tool or unilaterally alter established agreements undermine international law and regional security.

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He added that Pakistan remained committed to peaceful dialogue and implementation of the treaty but was determined to protect its water rights if challenged.

Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah said the treaty contains a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism that begins with bilateral engagement before moving to third-party arbitration when required.

He noted that the Court of Arbitration had reaffirmed that its rulings under the treaty are final and binding, adding that India’s non-participation in proceedings does not invalidate the court’s jurisdiction or its decisions.

Russian water policy expert Roksolana Zhyhon described the Indus Waters Treaty as one of the world’s most successful water-sharing agreements and warned that unilateral attempts to alter river flows could threaten regional stability and undermine international law.

Legal expert Ahmer Bilal Soofi also argued that any suspension of the treaty would be contrary to international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter, saying access to water is a fundamental human necessity that cannot be subjected to political disputes.