Indus Waters Treaty abeyance puts millions at risk, UNHRC event warns

UNITED NATIONS: India’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance has raised concerns over the water security, agriculture and livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the Indus Basin, as the six-decade-old agreement faces one of its most serious challenges. The concerns were discussed on Friday, Oct 2, at a side event held in Geneva on the margins of the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council. The Council’s current session is being held from Sept 7 to Oct 7. The event, titled “Water Justice and Climate Resilience: Advancing Transboundary Cooperation in South Asia and the Middle East,” brought together legal experts, researchers, diplomats, practitioners and civil society representatives to discuss international water law, human rights, climate resilience, environmental justice and management of shared rivers.

“Trans-boundary Water Challenges in South Asia” was among the principal themes, with particular attention to the Indus River system and the legal and institutional framework governing shared waters. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which administers the proceedings over the IWT, has determined that the treaty remains in force despite India’s decision to place it in abeyance. India has rejected the arbitration process, while Pakistan has cited the court’s order as supporting its position that the agreement remains effective. Rashida Abbas, founder of the Hydro-Justice Student Research & Policy Fellowship and a PhD candidate at the University of Geneva, addressed the South Asian dimension of the discussion, focusing particularly on the Indus system. Abbas said rivers should not be viewed solely as matters between states because their consequences are experienced directly by people and communities. “Rivers are not experienced…