India not allowed to misuse its allowance of water of western rivers under IWT: Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday said that India was not allowed to misuse its restricted allowance of water of the western rivers under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi made these remarks at the weekly press briefing, while responding to a question about India's approval of the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Kashmir.

India took a series of punitive measures against Pakistan a day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, including putting the 1960 vintage Indus Water Treaty (IWT) in “abeyance.” The IWT, brokered by the World Bank, has governed the distribution and use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960.

“We have seen these media reports regarding Indian plans to construct the Dulhasti Stage-II hydroelectric [project] on the Chenab River. Obviously, these reports raise serious concerns as no prior information or notification was shared with Pakistan with regard to this project,” Andrabi said.

Andrabi also said that Pakistan sought information from India regarding reported projects which it was planning to undertake.

“The Pakistani commissioner for Indus water has sought clarification from his counterpart in India regarding the nature, scope and technical details of the reported projects, and he also wishes to ascertain whether this constitutes a new run-of-the-river project, an alteration or additional work on an existing plant,” he said.

The spokesperson noted that under the IWT, India could not misuse its “restricted allowance” for unilaterally building any hydroelectric projects on the western rivers.

He said that any project on the western river is subject to strict design and operational controls as well as information sharing with Pakistan.

Andrabi reiterated that IWT remained a binding international agreement, adding that Pakistan remained committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes with India but would “never compromise on our existential water rights”.