Bugti Hails Hague Ruling Upholding Pakistan’s Indus Waters Rights

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has welcomed the latest ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague concerning the Indus Waters Treaty, describing the decision as an important legal and diplomatic development for Pakistan. His reaction came as political and official attention remained focused on the implications of the court’s findings for the decades-old water-sharing agreement between Pakistan and India.

Bugti said the ruling reinforced Pakistan’s position that the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and that treaty obligations cannot be set aside unilaterally. He argued that the agreement represents more than a bilateral arrangement because Pakistan’s water security, agriculture and wider national interests are closely connected to the rivers governed by the treaty. The chief minister said Pakistan would continue defending those interests through legal, diplomatic and constitutional channels.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration issued its decision after considering questions surrounding India’s move to place the treaty in abeyance. The tribunal concluded unanimously that the grounds examined did not justify suspending or terminating the agreement and maintained that obligations under the treaty continue to apply. The proceedings form part of a wider dispute between Pakistan and India over the interpretation and implementation of provisions governing the western rivers.

The court also addressed Pakistan’s request for interim measures concerning India’s Ratle hydroelectric project. According to details released about the proceedings, restrictions were imposed on certain construction activity at the project while a separate neutral-expert process continues. The neutral expert is considering technical questions connected with the Kishenganga and Ratle projects, with a final decision expected in 2027.

Pakistan’s federal government has also welcomed the tribunal’s findings and said it would study the detailed award and related decisions before determining the next legal and diplomatic steps. Islamabad has consistently maintained that the treaty remains in force and that disputes over hydroelectric projects should be handled through the mechanisms established under the agreement. India, meanwhile, has rejected the arbitration proceedings and disputed the tribunal’s authority over the matter.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 with World Bank involvement, established a framework for the use of the Indus river system by Pakistan and India. The agreement has survived repeated periods of severe political and military tension, making it one of the most consequential water-sharing arrangements in South Asia. For Pakistan, reliable flows from the Indus basin are particularly important to agriculture, food production and the broader economy.

Bugti said the latest ruling strengthened the principle that international agreements must be respected even when relations between states deteriorate. The immediate focus will now turn to implementation of the tribunal’s interim directions, the continuing neutral-expert proceedings and Pakistan’s assessment of the detailed legal findings. Islamabad is expected to keep pursuing the dispute through established treaty mechanisms while monitoring Indian hydroelectric activity on rivers covered by the agreement.