Pakistan: The fight for its existence through access to water

Pakistan: The fight for its existence through access to water

The Indus Waters Treaty has been the basis for the water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan for more than 60 years. But with India deciding in April 2025 the placing of treaty in abeyance created great anxiety in Pakistant, which heavily relies on the Indus river system for farming, livelihood and the entire economic base.

The Treaty is being Tested

The 1960 World Bank-assisted agreement, divided the River system between the two countries. India got the upper flow of the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. On the contrary, the lower ones of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab (subject to specific Indian uses) belonged to Pakistan.

Despite the several wars and political conflicts during these decades, this treaty still was a matter of life and death for the two nations. It means that any dispute regarding this treaty would not only involve a question of diplomatic dispute. Nearly four-fifths of the arable farms of Pakistan are dependent on the Indus. Any disruption in these rivers may not only impact the agricultural production but also the entire ecosystem which is a life line for millions in rural communities and also the economic system.

The 2026 Arbitration Award

On August 31, 2026, the Court of Arbitration found that the withdrawal of the treaty by India was not a violation or a termination of the treaty. The arbitration further imposed certain temporary measures on the Ratle Hydropower Station, a large project built by India on the Chenab River.

India rejected the findings, disputing the tribunal's authority. On the other hand, Pakistan was glad the result supported them as, according to this principle neither of them had a right to unilaterally suspend a water treaty. After all, a water treaty in the form of legal agreement is binding and the only means to change or end it would be to agree on and ratify a new treaty through their respective parliaments. So, Pakistan was advised to keep going through those treaty's legal and diplomatic procedures and at the same time, seek the openness of water data, keep the line of communication between the Indus Water commissioners, besides, monitoring of the projects on the western rivers very closely.

The Reasons Why the Treaty Still Matters

Though geographically, the fact that Pakistan can't move its position and will definitely be a downstream country is a handicap, under international law they are entitled to some protection especially by the way they would deal with India. Besides that, if any party of this water-sharing treaty were to use water as weapons of war, this could set bad example for other nations in the world which are also living on or around their boundaries on shared water resources.

Cooperation gets even more critical due to the impacts of climate change as it continues to alter rainfall patterns, create floods and drought, and make water shortages. Also, increased usage of water, rise in population and more erratic climatic conditions are all the pressures which Indus basin is facing. So, transparency can't be less. At the same level, sharing of reliable data, as well as, well-functioning dispute settlement mechanisms are a must.

Key Features

• Indus Waters treaty is the mechanism of water-sharing since the year 1960.
• Pakistan is greatly supported by the Indus river system in agriculture.
• The western rivers play an important role in ensuring Pakistan's Water supply.
• The court ruling of August 31, 2026, supports the treaty's continuation.
• The Indian side of the coin to this dispute lies in the fact that the country rejected the decision and questioned the powers granted to the arbitration tribunal.
• A stronger case for Pakistan could be made on the basis of international law.
• We all know that water resources are scarce and therefore, we must protect them especially for the generations to come.
• The sharing of water as a means of political domination will lead only to the downfall of nations.

To conclude, India and Pakistan need to manage their shared rivers only when they have reached an agreement as this is the only way to make this water resource-sharing possible. It is the reason why the cooperation through legal framework remains a must if the region has to face the water challenges.

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