EAM S Jaishankar's BIG message to Pakistan: 'Indus Waters Treaty to remain in abeyance till...'

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Thursday, i.e., May 15, declared that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance till Pakistan puts an end to cross-border terrorism. This comes after a day Islamabad urged New Delhi to re-consider its decision to keep the treaty on hold. 

“The Indus Waters Treaty is held in abeyance and will continue to be held in abeyance until the cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped,” EAM Jaishankar said, adding that the only conversation India is willing to have with Pakistan is about the return of Pak-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). 

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) - signed between India and Pak in 1960 - distributes waters of the Indus water system between the two nations. It allocates the eastern rivers including - Sutlej, Beas and Ravi - to India while western rivers including - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - to Pak. Pertinent to note that India only utilises 20 per cent of the Indus water system while the remaining 80 per cent go to Pakistan.

New Delhi suspended the treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir which had claimed 26 innocent lives. In the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several key decisions including the suspension of IWT were announced as a part of broader strategy against cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan.