Pakistan has called on the international community to uphold international law and honour its agreements. Speaking at a European Parliament meeting in Brussels on the future of global governance, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, Rahim Hayat Qureshi, also raised the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Indus Waters Treaty.
Qureshi said that respecting international treaties was central to global stability and to the continued relevance of international law. He voiced Pakistan’s concern about what it sees as violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, and he urged that the Kashmir dispute be settled in line with relevant United Nations resolutions. He added that relations between states should rest on equal rights and that all relevant parties must have a voice in UN reform.
The ambassador also pressed for wider international cooperation on reforming the global financial system, tackling climate change and developing modern technologies.
European lawmakers back Pakistan’s position on the treaty
Czech Member of the European Parliament Andrej Dostál backed Pakistan’s stance on the Indus Waters Treaty during the discussion. German MEP Michael von der Schulenburg went further, urging the international community to help ensure the treaty is implemented and complied with.
India’s move to suspend the 1960 treaty
The debate takes place against ongoing tensions over the agreement. India announced in April 2025 that it would hold the treaty in abeyance following an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan has rejected that move and maintains that the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs how the Indus River system is shared between Pakistan and India. Islamabad has warned that any attempt to restrict its water flows would have serious consequences.
