Pakistan sent 4 letters to India on Indus Treaty: Report
What's the story
Pakistan has sent four letters to India, asking it to reconsider the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
The letters were sent by Syed Ali Murtaza, Secretary of Pakistan's Ministry of Water Resources, and were forwarded to India's Jal Shakti Ministry and External Affairs Ministry.
The treaty was suspended after a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 killed 26 tourists.
Security concerns
Treaty suspended after Pahalgam attack
India has said it will keep the treaty suspended until Pakistan "credibly and irrevocably" ends its support for cross-border terrorism. This decision was approved by India's Cabinet Committee on Security after the Pahalgam attack.
The IWT, which was brokered by the World Bank in 1960, regulates water sharing between India and Pakistan for six rivers: Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.
Diplomatic overtures
Pakistan PM shows readiness for peace talks
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has shown readiness to hold peace talks with India.
"The Indus Basin is our lifeline as three-fourths of our water comes from outside the country, nine out of 10 people depend on the Indus water basin for their living, as much as 90 per cent of our crops rely on this water... This is like a water bomb hanging over us and we must defuse it," Pakistan senator Syed Ali Zafar said in May.
Accusations
India's response to Pakistan's letter
India has accused Pakistan of violating the spirit of the IWT by supporting terrorism and blocking infrastructure updates for safety.
India's Permanent Representative P Harish told a UN Security Council meeting that "far-reaching fundamental changes" have occurred due to security concerns, climate change, and demographic shifts.
New Delhi has previously asked Islamabad to discuss modifications to the treaty, but claims these requests have been consistently blocked by Pakistan.