Analysts, policy experts hail Arbitration Court verdict nullifying Indian suspension of Indus Treaty

ISLAMABAD, Aug 31 (APP): International foreign policy experts, legal scholars, and media analysts on Monday welcomed a landmark decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague, which ruled unanimously that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty remains fully binding and in force.

Dismantling India’s unilateral attempt to freeze the agreement, the global court affirmed that treaty obligations cannot be discarded for strategic convenience, while barring New Delhi from proceeding beyond authorized limits at the controversial Ratle hydroelectric project.

The decision triggered a wave of reactions across Pakistan’s diplomatic, legal, and media communities, who characterized the award as a vindication of Pakistan’s righteous position and a resounding defense of international law over unilateral coercion.

Prominent media personality Hamid Mir described the verdict as a “big victory for Pakistan,” noting that the tribunal—comprising judges from the United States, Belgium, Australia, and Jordan—unanimously established that India had no justification for ending or suspending the agreement.

Echoing these sentiments, former Senator and analyst Mushahid Hussain Syed characterized the PCA decision as historic.

“It absolutely nullifies Indian illegality and bullying approach on the Indus Waters Treaty,” he said, framing the ruling as a “great moral, legal, and diplomatic victory for international law and justice that validates Pakistan’s righteous position.”

Prominent media figures Ajmal Jami and Azhar Javed emphasized that the tribunal dismantled New Delhi’s legal posturing, reinforcing the sacred international principle that treaty obligations must be honored without exception.

Senior diplomat and former Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jillani urged New Delhi to abide by international norms.

“This landmark decision affirms that the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and cannot be unilaterally suspended,” Jillani said, calling on India to “respect the decision, uphold its obligations, and reverse its decision to place the Treaty in abeyance. No politics on water.”

Hassan Akbar, a Pakistan Fellow at The Wilson Center, asserted that a detailed reading of the award “completely destroys all of India’s spurious and disingenuous reasons for holding the IWT in abeyance.”

He observed that the verdict not only mandates India to halt non-compliant projects but also exposes India before the international community as a state that fails to abide by binding bilateral and multilateral treaties.

Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, an educationist and international relations expert, highlighted the critical nature of the decision for Pakistan’s national security, pointing out that the Indus river system serves as the country’s lifeline for agriculture, energy, and food security.

“New Delhi’s attempt to use this vital resource as an instrument of strategic coercion—effectively weaponising water against a downstream state—is morally indefensible and unlawful,” he said, adding that while India may attempt to reject the PCA’s jurisdiction, such rejections cannot extinguish Pakistan’s inherent treaty rights.

Chairperson of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Sarah Ahmed, emphasized the comprehensiveness of the Court’s rejection of Indian pretexts.

“Unanimously, the Court rejected every ground India cited—sovereignty, alleged breach, terrorism, changed circumstances, armed conflict,” she said , stressing that water must never be weaponized.

Ali K. Chishti, a policy expert, framed the ruling as part of a triple diplomatic triumph for Pakistan on the global stage—alongside Pakistan assuming the SCO rotating chair and securing the secretariat leadership for the Makkah Defence Alliance.