Pakistan Foreign Office reacted strongly to Indian remarks of diverting rivers under Indus Water Treaty to India. Dr Mohammad Faisal 0f spokesman of foreign office stated that Islamabad has “exclusive rights” over three Western rivers that flow from India, adding that any attempt by India to divert the flow of these rivers would be considered an “act of aggression”

The Indus Water Treaty is a World Bank-brokered settlement signed in Karachi on September 19, 1960, between Pakistan and India to use the water available in the six rivers of the Indus system. As per this agreement, India was given control over the water flowing in three eastern rivers – the Beas, the Ravi and the Sutlej with the mean flow of 33 million acre-feet (MAF), while Pakistan was given control over the water flowing in three western rivers – the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum with the mean flow of 80 MAF.

While addressing a weekly press briefing, the FO spokesperson was asked a question regarding Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks to stop water flowing to Pakistan. Indian PM Narendra Modi had said his government would stop the water flowing to Pakistan and divert it to Haryana “as it rightfully belongs to the country and the farmers of the state”.

The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan had “exclusive rights” over the waters of three Western rivers under the Indus Water Treaty. “Any attempt by India to divert the flows of these rivers will be considered an act of aggression and Pakistan has the right to respond.”