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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will continue to &ldquo;fully participate&rdquo; in Neutral Expert proceedings on India&rsquo;s move to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, the Foreign Office (FO) said Friday, underscoring that Islamabad remains engaged &ldquo;in good faith&rdquo; even as New Delhi has halted its participation. During the weekly press briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi noted that the Neutral Expert mechanism was invoked on India&rsquo;s own request, with the next phase of hearings scheduled in Vienna from November 17-21, 2025. &ldquo;While India has decided to halt its participation, Pakistan continues to fully participate in the Neutral Expert proceedings in good faith,&rdquo; Andrabi said. &ldquo;In this respect, the Neutral Expert has ruled that India&rsquo;s non-participation could not operate as a bar to the proceedings going forward.&rdquo; According to a press release issued&nbsp;on November 10, the Court of Arbitration (CoA) confirmed that it will continue to conduct the proceedings. &quot;The Court therefore invited each Party to provide written submissions regarding the status of the Neutral Expert Proceedings and its views as to a further phase or phases in these proceedings in respect of matters raised in Pakistan&rsquo;s Request for Arbitration that were not resolved in the Award,&quot; the press release said.&nbsp; Under the IWT, unresolved disputes between the two countries are referred to a CoA. Earlier this year, following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, New Delhi announced a unilateral suspension of the treaty, an action Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned as &ldquo;unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible, and devoid of legal merit.&rdquo; Pakistan had approached the CoA to seek rulings on the interpretation and application of the Treaty regarding design elements of India&rsquo;s run-of-river hydroelectric projects. In a &quot;Supplemental Award on the Competence&quot;, the CoA in The Hague held that India&rsquo;s claim of placing the Treaty in &ldquo;abeyance&rdquo; had no bearing on the Court&rsquo;s jurisdiction, stating that its &ldquo;competence cannot be affected by the unilateral decision&rdquo; of any party. It further ruled that &ldquo;it was not open to India to take unilateral action to suspend these proceedings, regardless of how India&rsquo;s position was characterized or justified under international law.&rdquo; Questions on reported Pakistan&ndash;Israel interactionResponding to queries about reports of a meeting between Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, an advisor to the prime minister, and an Israeli representative, the FO spokesperson said he had &ldquo;not seen the report or any information on a meeting,&rdquo; adding that &ldquo;if such a meeting or interaction took place, it was, certainly, without authorization by the government.&rdquo; A statement later circulated to the media clarified that Khan, who visited London &ldquo;at his own expense&rdquo; to lead a delegation of 31 Pakistani tourism representatives to the World Travel Market, had encountered a group of Israeli individuals who &ldquo;visited the Pakistan Pavilion unannounced and met the Pakistani delegation without introducing themselves.&rdquo; &ldquo;Despite this unexpected encounter, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan remained focused on his mission as a proud Pakistani and true patriot, dedicated to promoting a positive and progressive tourism narrative for Pakistan across the world,&rdquo; the statement said. Addressing speculation that the reported encounter signaled any shift toward the Abraham Accords, Andrabi dismissed the suggestion. &ldquo;I do not think it is fair to link this with the broader issue of Abraham Accords or the recognition of Israel,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Such linkage is too far-fetched, and I would request our distinguished media personnel not to venture into such speculation.&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s long-standing foreign policy rejects recognition of Israel, a stance it links to its &ldquo;steadfast and unwavering&rdquo; support for the Palestinian cause. Islamabad consistently urges an immediate halt to Israeli military actions and reaffirms its commitment to the creation of an independent, sovereign, and contiguous Palestinian state along the pre-1967 borders, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. The policy is also codified in the declaration printed on Pakistani passports: &ldquo;This passport is valid for all countries of the world except Israel.&rdquo;

Foreign Affairs

India has decided to halt its participation; Neutral Expert has ruled that India’s non-participation "could not operate as a bar to the proceedings going forward.”

Pakistan vows full participation in Indus Treaty Neutral Expert process

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to fully participate in the Neutral Expert proceedings under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), even as India has decided to halt its participation.&nbsp;In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Pakistan has taken note of the recent Decision of the Court of Arbitration, which offered clarifications on certain aspects of the Court&rsquo;s &ldquo;Award on Issues of General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty,&rdquo; published on 8 August 2025.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1988478646856958031&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F2110%2F&sessionId=17d4c4363d7a312ecbf5be2a98bd29d73c4f39fe&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🔊PR No.3️⃣3️⃣3️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣ Clarifications Issued by the Court of Arbitration on Pakistan&#39;s Request in the context of the Indus Waters Treaty 🔗⬇️<a href="https://t.co/YvjrppCiKN" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">https://t.co/YvjrppCiKN</a> <a href="https://t.co/T7qwXHQNUu" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">pic.twitter.com/T7qwXHQNUu</a>&mdash; Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1988478646856958031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: rgb(0, 115, 230);">November 12, 2025</a></blockquote></div>The ministry added that the Court will continue its proceedings in a phased manner, considering ongoing Neutral Expert proceedings under Article IX and Annexure F of the IWT.&nbsp;The next phase of the Neutral Expert proceedings, initiated at India&rsquo;s request, is scheduled to take place in Vienna from November 17-21, 2025. While India has decided not to participate, Pakistan will engage in the proceedings in good faith.&nbsp;The Neutral Expert has ruled that India&rsquo;s non-participation will not prevent the arbitration process from moving forward.&nbsp;Pakistan emphasized its commitment to resolving the matter in accordance with the treaty and international law, underlining its continued cooperation in the arbitration process.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Pakistan has taken note of the recent Decision of the Court of Arbitration, which offered clarifications on certain aspects of the Court’s "Award on Issues of General Interpretation of the Indus Waters Treaty."

Pakistan to fully participate in Indus Waters Treaty arbitration despite India’s non-participation: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan condemned India&rsquo;s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, and urged renewed global cooperation to protect shared natural resources and uphold international law.&nbsp;The Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, was speaking at the UN Security Council Briefing on &ldquo;Environmental Impact of Armed Conflict and Climate-Driven Security Risks&rdquo;, according to a statement posted on the mission&rsquo;s X account on Friday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 655px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1986531648650027281&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=3235ea982858a4eff3e5c68d29efe49e8d726ece&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Ambassador Ahmad said that deliberate weaponization of shared natural resources is of great concern, adding, &ldquo;A textbook example is the unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India earlier this year.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;He said, &ldquo;For more than six decades, this treaty has stood as a model of cooperation, ensuring equitable and predictable sharing of the Indus Basin waters between Pakistan and India, even in times of war.&rdquo;&nbsp;Endangering millions of lives&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;India&#39;s unlawful unilateral decision to suspend this framework undermines the letter and spirit of this treaty, threatens ecosystems, disrupts data sharing and endangers the lives of millions who depend on the Indus River water system for food and energy security for their very survival.&rdquo;&nbsp;The Pakistani envoy emphasized, &ldquo;Such acts do not just harm one country. They weaken confidence in international water law and set a precedent for resource-based and driven coercion elsewhere.&rdquo;&nbsp;Ambassador Ahmad said, &ldquo;This should be of grave concern for every member of this council and for the international community as a whole.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;Court of Arbitration&#39;s award&ldquo;Pakistan has consistently maintained that no provision of the Indus Waters Treaty permits unilateral suspension or modification,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Speaking about the continuing validity of the treaty, Ambassador Ahmad said: &ldquo;The Court of Arbitration&#39;s 2025 award reaffirmed the continuing validity of the treaty and its dispute settlement mechanisms, upholding Pakistan&#39;s position that all issues must be resolved within its legal framework.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;We therefore expect full respect for the treaty and an early return to compliance and normal functioning through the established channels,&rdquo; he stressed.&nbsp;&lsquo;Uphold international law&rsquo;&nbsp;In his address, the ambassador highlighted the grave environmental and security consequences of armed conflict.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Security Council must fulfill its charter responsibility to address threats to international peace and security at their very inception.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Second, environmental considerations could be integrated into UN peace operations and political missions where relevant.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;Third, uphold international law, especially international humanitarian law,&rdquo; Ambassador Ahmad said.&nbsp;&ldquo;Pakistan stands ready to work with all partners at all relevant forums to uphold international law, advance environmental recovery in conflict-affected areas, and ensure that shared natural resources serve as avenues for cooperation and not contention,&rdquo; he added.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that no provision of the Indus Waters Treaty permits unilateral suspension or modification; expects full respect for the Treaty and an early return to compliance and normal functioning through the established channels.

Articles tagged with "Indus Waters Treaty"

Pakistan vows full participation in Indus Treaty Neutral Expert process

Pakistan to fully participate in Indus Waters Treaty arbitration despite India’s non-participation: FO

India’s suspension of waters treaty weaponization of shared natural resources: Pakistan UN rep