India Hits Back: 'Terror-Sponsoring Pakistan Can't Blame Us Over Indus Water Treaty
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): India has given a strong reply by completely rejecting the allegations being made by Pakistan regarding the Indus Water Treaty. India has said that before blaming India for violating this treaty, Pakistan should curb the cross-border terrorism spreading from its own soil, because this terrorism is the biggest obstacle in the implementation of the treaty.
'Terror-spreading Pakistan should not blame us for violating Indus Water Treaty', India's clear message to Pakistan : Addressing the plenary session of the first conference on glaciers organised by the United Nations in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on Friday, India's Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh slammed Pakistan. He said, "We condemn Pakistan's attempt to misuse this global platform and raise issues that do not fall within its scope."
He stressed that the Indus Water Treaty must be implemented fairly in a spirit of goodwill and friendship, but "continued cross-border terrorism from Pakistan is interfering with India's ability to make legitimate use of the waters."
Singh also clarified that since the signing of the treaty in 1960, there have been fundamental changes in the global and regional conditions. This includes important issues such as technological progress, population growth, climate change and terrorism, which necessitate a reconsideration of the terms of the treaty.
Earlier, at the same conference, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had accused India of unilaterally and illegally suspending the Indus Water Treaty. Sharif had warned that Pakistan would not allow the 'red line' to be crossed and India should not endanger the lives of millions of people for political gains. However, India has made it clear that a country which itself supports terrorism has no moral right to accuse others of violating international agreements.