Pakistan on Friday, February 20, 2026 hailed a legal victory in its long-running water dispute with India after the Hague-based Court of Arbitration (CoA) endorsed Islamabad’s stance that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully operational and binding despite New Delhi’s claims to the contrary. The reaffirmation came during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources in Islamabad, where senior officials released updates on the contentious issue.
Treaty Status Confirmed by Court of Arbitration
The Ministry of Water Resources made it clear that contrary to an Indian communication claiming the IWT had been placed in “abeyance,” Pakistan maintains the treaty is fully effective. Secretary of the Ministry Syed Ali Murtaza, who also serves as acting Indus Water Commissioner, told lawmakers that the Court of Arbitration’s endorsement strengthened Pakistan’s legal position on the matter. He said India’s letter did not change the treaty’s binding nature.
“The treaty remains operational and effective and binding on India,” Murtaza told the Senate committee.
The decision by the CoA aligns with previous awards by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which has repeatedly asserted jurisdiction and upheld Pakistan’s interpretation of key treaty provisions despite India’s refusal to participate in certain proceedings.
Background of the IWT Conflict
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of six rivers in the Indus Basin between India and Pakistan. India controls the three eastern rivers (Beas, Sutlej and Ravi) while Pakistan has exclusive rights over the three western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab). The treaty was designed to avoid water disputes and has survived multiple wars and political tensions.
However, relations between the two countries have soured on water issues in recent years. In April 2025, following a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, New Delhi suspended its participation in the IWT, citing security concerns. Pakistan rejected that move, stating the treaty does not allow unilateral suspension and calling any attempt to impede Pakistan’s water share an “act of war.”
India has also objected to multiple CoA directives and has at times refused to recognise the tribunal’s authority, claiming the dispute falls under the treaty’s traditional dispute-resolution mechanisms rather than outside arbitration.
Indus Water Commission and Administrative Steps
At the Senate committee session, the Ministry addressed administrative matters within the Indus Water Commission, noting that no regular commissioner currently holds the position. To manage this gap, Additional Secretary Mehar Ali Shah has been assigned the additional charge as Acting Indus Water Commissioner.
Concerns were also raised about past actions by former Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah regarding hydroelectric issues in Indian-held Kashmir. The ministry’s secretary confirmed that Shah was exonerated after a formal inquiry, and stressed that commissioners cannot issue views without state approval.
Regional and Environmental Stakes
Experts say the treaty’s stability is central not only to diplomatic relations but also to water security in South Asia, where vast agricultural communities depend on the Indus river system. Downstream impacts from upstream projects like India’s Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project have historically raised tensions, prompting Pakistan to pursue legal avenues to ensure compliance with treaty conditions.
Climate dynamics and increasing water stress add urgency to the matter, reinforcing the importance of cooperative water governance between the two nations.
Read More: From Indus to Tankers: How Pakistan Became a Water-Scarce Country
Looking Ahead
While the Hague court’s affirmation strengthens Pakistan’s legal footing, unresolved political frictions and India’s scepticism about the tribunal’s legitimacy pose continuing challenges. For Pakistan, however, CoA’s endorsement represents a notable affirmation of its rights under a treaty that has endured six decades of regional turbulence.
