The Foreign Office has warned that any attempt to block water essential for Pakistan’s survival and development would have ‘far-reaching consequences’.
A statement attributed to the FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi during a weekly media briefing indicated that such an act could be considered as an act of war under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Reacting to remarks made by Indian water minister CR Patil, who had suggested that no water would go to Pakistan in the future, Andrabi emphasized the responsibility and seriousness of the matter. He stated that any such act violates international obligations concerning transboundary rivers and bilateral agreements, as well as being a deeply irresponsible move for over 250 million people.
Andrab highlighted the threat this poses to regional peace and security in South Asia and beyond. Pakistan firmly rejects any notion of treating water as a political tool or instrument of coercion or weapon. The Foreign Office stressed that Pakistan’s rights and interests regarding its water resources are non-negotiable, and they will ‘vigorously’ defend those rights using all available diplomatic, political, legal, economic and other measures consistent with international law.
Source: Original report
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