Modi meets top officials to review Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan
There have been repeated calls in India to abrogate the pact to mount pressure on Pakistan.
NEW DELHI (Web Desk) – After being disappointed at all the forums due to their continuous rhetoric against Pakistan, optionless Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting top officials today (Monday) to review Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in response to September 18 attack in Occupied Kashmir’s Uri area, in which 18 Indian soldiers were killed.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, Water Resources Secretary Shashi Shekhar and senior officials of the Indian Prime Minister’s Office are attending the meeting.
There have been repeated calls in India that the BJP-led government should abrogate the pact to mount pressure on Pakistan in the aftermath of Uri attack.
Under the treaty, which was signed by Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan president Ayub Khan in September 1960, water of six river including Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum were to be shared between the two countries but Pakistan has been complaining of not receiving enough water.
According to experts, if India withdraws from an international pact, it’s a violation of a legal treaty, which will invite international condemnation.
INDIAN SC REFUSES URGENT HEARING OF PLEA
Earlier today, the Indian Supreme Court refused to grant an urgent hearing on a petition seeking declaration of the India-Pakistan Indus Water Treaty as unconstitutional.
Advocate M L Sharma, who filed the PIL in his personal capacity on the issue, sought urgent hearing of the matter saying the treaty was unconstitutional as it was not signed as per the constitutional scheme and hence should be declared "void ab initio".
PAKISTAN DEMANDS INTERNATIONAL PROBE
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz has demanded international investigtions into attack on Indian Army Brigade Headquarters in Uri.
In an interview with BBC Urdu Service, Sartaj Aziz said that India always starts accusing Pakistan immediately after any attack without waiting for investigations. Therefore, he said, an independent international commission should be constituted to unearth the facts.
Sartaj Aziz said a forceful and peaceful freedom movement is going on in Occupied Kashmir these days, which has drawn attention of the entire world; therefore, any such attack does not benefit Pakistan or Kashmiris.
He said such attacks divert world attention from grave human rights violations being committed by Indian forces in occupied Kashmir.
