At a weekly press briefing, Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, stated that Islamabad welcomes any positive Chinese involvement regarding Himalayan water resources. Describing Beijing as a critical partner and stakeholder in the region’s interconnected transboundary river systems, Andrabi emphasized that the Himalayan ice cap serves as a shared natural heritage sustaining billions across Asia. The statement underscores Pakistan’s strategy to promote regional cooperation and multi-lateral dialogue over vital water resources, particularly as climate change poses an escalating threat to the glacier-fed basins that supply the entire region.
Concurrently, the Foreign Office reaffirmed its unwavering stance on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), asserting that the bilateral agreement provides a definitive legal framework that India cannot unilaterally suspend or alter. While dismissing New Delhi’s attempts to tie water diplomacy to regional terrorism issues, Pakistan noted it is keeping a close watch on India’s ground activities along the shared river basins. Despite ongoing friction and a lack of formal World Bank-backed framework meetings since 2022, Andrabi confirmed that formal communication channels remain functional between the Indus Water Commissioners of both nations to protect Pakistan’s legitimate water rights.
