Pakistan urged India this Saturday to restore the full and unhindered implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, a crucial pact for the Pakistani population, which was revoked by the Indian government as part of an unprecedented diplomatic escalation.

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“India must immediately rescind its unilateral and illegal position and restore the full and unhindered implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty,” the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Pakistan criticised the statement by the Indian Interior Minister, Amit Shah, on the Indus Waters Treaty as a contempt for international agreements, while the Pakistani ministry stressed the importance of this World Bank-brokered treaty between India and Pakistan.

Following a terrorist attack that killed 26 tourists in April, India suspended a treaty with Pakistan, escalating tensions between the two countries. In May, missile, drone and air strikes occurred in both territories.

For its part, Pakistan has warned that it will regard the suspension of the treaty as an “act of war” and will respond decisively.

Pakistan assures that it remains firmly committed to the Treaty and will take all necessary steps to protect its legitimate rights and prerogatives under the Treaty, according to the ministry.

Pakistan argues that the treaty is not a political agreement, but an international treaty without provisions for unilateral action.

“India’s illegal announcement to suspend the Treaty constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the Treaty itself and the fundamental principles governing inter-State relations,” reads the statement.

The Indus Water Treaty has long been considered an exceptional and resilient example of cooperation between the two countries, allocating the three western rivers of the Indus system to Pakistan while India retains rights over the eastern rivers.

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