Pakistan praised the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s (PCA) decision on the design of India’s planned run-of-river hydropower projects over the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus rivers. Islamabad said the verdict supports its position under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

The PCA reportedly ruled that India must “let flow” the waters of the Western Rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, except for hydropower projects that meet treaty requirements. Pakistan’s foreign office stressed that such exceptions “must conform strictly to the requirements laid down in the treaty, rather than to what India might consider an ‘ideal’ or ‘best practices’ approach.”

India Rejects Court’s Jurisdiction

India has never accepted the PCA’s authority in this matter. New Delhi prefers to use the neutral expert mechanism outlined in the treaty.

Sources told The Times of India that India had earlier signaled its intent to modify the IWT after disputes over the Kishanganga and Ratle projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

India also opposed the World Bank’s 2022 decision to allow both a neutral expert and the PCA to handle the same issues, calling it a “practical and legal” problem. Officials say the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan takes credible action against cross-border terrorism.

Nuclear Threats and Political Rhetoric

The ruling comes as Pakistan’s military and political leaders make aggressive statements. Pakistan Army Chief Gen Asim Munir warned in Tampa, Florida, that reducing water flows to Pakistan would trigger the destruction of Indian infrastructure. He issued a nuclear threat, saying, “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also issued a warning from Islamabad. He said, “The enemy cannot snatch even a single drop of water from Pakistan. You threatened to stop our water — if you try, Pakistan will teach you a lesson you will never forget.”

Treaty Background

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 after nine years of talks mediated by the World Bank, allocates the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — to Pakistan and the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — to India. It allows limited usage of each other’s waters.

Despite decades of tension, the treaty has survived. However, critics in India argue it favors Pakistan even as it continues to back terrorism.