The Foreign Office emphasized on Wednesday that India cannot evade its international legal responsibilities simply because the outcomes of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) arbitration do not favor it. The office warned that New Delhi’s stance threatens the integrity of treaties and the global framework for resolving international disputes.
During the weekly press briefing, spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi criticized India’s actions for eroding trust in established legal and dispute resolution systems. He cautioned that such conduct could establish a dangerous precedent for agreements involving shared resources elsewhere in the world. Andrabi expressed serious concern over India’s unilateral measures in managing transboundary water resources in the sensitive South Asian region, stating these moves contradict efforts toward sustainable peace and regional stability.
He stressed that India must fully adhere to the Indus Waters Treaty and respect the institutional mechanisms set by the agreement, highlighting that both nations had formally accepted this framework. Andrabi underscored that India’s rejection of the Court of Arbitration’s ruling does not negate its legal obligations, nor does it alter its responsibilities under the treaty. “India cannot absolve itself of its obligation to implement the Court of Arbitration’s award,” he affirmed.
Turning to international tensions, Andrabi expressed Pakistan’s concern over escalating hostilities between the United States and Iran. He noted that Islamabad remains in communication with both parties, encouraging dialogue to resolve the dispute. Pakistan hopes that the two nations will resume negotiations, with Field Marshal Asim Munir’s recent visit to Tehran having significantly advanced diplomatic efforts regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Regarding regional diplomacy, Andrabi highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Bishkek, where he met Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov. The two leaders signed several agreements and memorandums of understanding covering trade, economic cooperation, investment, and infrastructure development. The discussions also focused on enhancing bilateral relations, following Sharif’s participation in the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting and the SCO Plus Summit.
The spokesperson added that both Prime Minister Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar engaged with global leaders on the summit sidelines. Dar also held separate meetings with the SCO Secretary-General and the United Nations Secretary-General. Andrabi confirmed Pakistan has assumed the SCO chairmanship for one year and will host next year’s summit under the theme “Turning Vision into Action: Connectivity, Innovation, and Shared Prosperity.” Pakistan aims to collaborate with SCO member states to promote regional peace, economic cooperation, connectivity, and shared development.
In a significant development, Andrabi discussed the inaugural session of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee formed under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, held in Istanbul on August 31. Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye reaffirmed their commitment to regional peace and stability through peaceful crisis resolution, restraint, and de-escalation. The three nations agreed to institutionalize cooperation further, strengthen collective defense and shared security, and establish the agreement’s secretariat in Saudi Arabia. Pakistan will initially appoint the secretary-general for a three-year term. Enhanced collaboration in defense industry, joint technology production, and armed forces capacity building was also agreed upon.
Regarding bilateral ties with Türkiye, Andrabi noted that Ishaq Dar met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul, where both sides welcomed deeper cooperation in political, economic, security, and cultural spheres. They agreed to convene the next High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council session soon, possibly within the year, and committed to close coordination on regional and global issues to foster peace and stability. Dar also met with the Turkish defense minister during the visit.
Finally, Andrabi, who is preparing for his posting to Geneva, welcomed Ambassador Sajjad Haider Khan as the new Foreign Office spokesperson, who will take over briefing responsibilities starting next week.
