BRUSSELS: Pakistan has urged the international community to uphold international law and respect international agreements, highlighting the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and the Indus Waters Treaty during a meeting at the European Parliament on the future of global governance. Pakistan's Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, Rahim Hayat Qureshi, addressed the meeting, stressing that respect for international treaties was essential to global stability and the continued relevance of international law.
Qureshi drew attention to Pakistan's concerns over violations of the Indus Waters Treaty and called for the Jammu and Kashmir dispute to be resolved in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions. He said relations between states should be based on equal rights and emphasised the importance of including the views of all relevant parties in efforts to reform the United Nations and advance the wider global interest.
The ambassador also called for greater international cooperation on reforming the global financial system, tackling climate change and developing modern technologies to support sustainable development worldwide. During the meeting, Czech Member of the European Parliament Andrej Dostál supported Pakistan's position on the Indus Waters Treaty, while German MEP Michael von der Schulenburg urged the international community to play a role in ensuring the treaty's implementation and compliance.
The discussion comes amid continuing tensions over the treaty after India announced in April 2025 that it would hold the agreement in abeyance following an attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan has rejected the move and maintained that the treaty cannot be unilaterally suspended, emphasizing that bilateral agreements brokered by international institutions require mutual consent for any modification or termination.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of the Indus River system between Pakistan and India, providing a comprehensive framework for irrigation and hydroelectric generation. The dispute has become a major point of contention between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with Islamabad warning that any attempt to restrict its water flows would have serious humanitarian and strategic consequences.
Diplomatic efforts continue as international observers monitor the situation closely, hoping to prevent further escalation and encourage renewed dialogue between Islamabad and New Delhi over water security.