ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has reacted to The Hague Court of Arbitration’s ruling on the Indus Waters Treaty, saying India has suffered a setback not only on the battlefield but also before an international court.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Asif referred to the Court of Arbitration’s August 31, 2026 ruling and interim orders, saying the court had unanimously declared India’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty “in abeyance” unacceptable under international law and the treaty itself.
Court of Arbitration: Award on Treaty Status and Order on Interim Measures – 31 August 2026
▪️ The Court unanimously concluded that India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in “abeyance” was not permissible under the Treaty or other applicable rules of international law.… https://t.co/hvXxUL9Pd6
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) August 31, 2026
According to Asif, the court made it clear that the treaty has neither been terminated nor suspended and remains fully operational. He said India is therefore bound to comply with all of its provisions.
The defence minister further said the international tribunal rejected all the grounds cited by India to justify suspending the treaty, including arguments based on sovereignty, alleged serious breaches, terrorism, a fundamental change in circumstances and armed conflict.
Asif said the court also held that even if allegations of terrorism were assumed to be true, they would not constitute a legal basis for terminating the treaty.
Reacting strongly to the ruling, Asif said India had faced a major setback at the Permanent Court of Arbitration after what he described as a “complete and humiliating defeat” on the battlefield the previous year.
“We thank Allah for this,” the minister said in his statement.
Taking direct aim at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Asif alleged that Modi had caused India embarrassment first on the battlefield and now before the international court.
The ruling, according to Asif, reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and fully in force.
ALSO READ: Pakistan Welcomes Hague Court Ruling Upholding Indus Waters Treaty
