World Bank President Ajay Banga has said the Indus Water Treaty has no provision allowing for its unilateral suspension, adding the accord only allows for amendment or suspension through mutual consent.
In an interview with CNBC-TV18, he was questioned on India’s decision to unilaterally hold the treaty “in abeyance” after a terrorist attack in India-held Kashmir’s Pahalgam region last month. Pakistan has rejected the declaration, warning that any attempt to deny the country its rightful share of the Indus River will be construed as a declaration of war.
“There is no provision in the treaty to allow for suspension the way it was drawn up. It either needs to be gone, or replaced by another one, and that requires the two countries to want to agree,” said Banga. He further clarified that the World Bank cannot arbitrate or enforce provisions of the treaty, however it assists in initiating proceedings when the treaty’s dispute-resolution mechanisms are triggered.
He explained that in the event of any disagreement, the Bank facilitates the appointment of either a neutral expert or a court of arbitration, without taking a position itself. He said the World Bank functions purely as a facilitator in the context of the treaty, which it brokered in 1960 to regulate water-sharing between India and Pakistan.
“We have to pay the fees of those guys through a trust fund that was set up at the Bank at the time of creation of the treaty. That’s our role. We have no role to play beyond that,” he said, adding that the Bank had not yet received any formal communication from either India or Pakistan regarding recent developments.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office, in a statement, has reiterated that the treaty is a binding international agreement that remains fully in force and cannot be unilaterally suspended or violated. It said Islamabad has made clear to Delhi that any violation of the treaty is unacceptable. “The Indus Waters Treaty is an international obligation that must be upheld,” it stressed, adding Pakistan would continue to raise its voice at every relevant forum to safeguard its rights under the treaty.