ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday accused India of showing a 鈥渂razen disregard鈥� for international agreements after New Delhi said it would not restore the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty and divert river waters for internal use.

India put into 鈥渁beyance鈥� its participation in the 1960 treaty, which governs the distribution of the Indus river system between the two countries, after 26 civilians in Indian-administered Kashmir were killed in an April gun attack.

India blamed Pakistan for the incident, though it denied any involvement. The accord remains dormant since then despite a ceasefire agreed upon by the two nuclear-armed neighbors last month following their worst fighting in decades.

Islamabad鈥檚 statement over the issue came after Indian Home Minister Amit Shah gave an interview to the media, saying New Delhi would not reinstate the treaty that guarantees water access for 80 percent of Pakistan鈥檚 farms through rivers originating in India.

鈥淭he statement reflects a brazen disregard for the sanctity of international agreements,鈥� Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said in a statement. 鈥淭he Indus Waters Treaty is not a political arrangement, but an international treaty with no provision for unilateral action.鈥�

鈥淚ndia鈥檚 illegal announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the Treaty itself, and the fundamental principles governing inter-state relations,鈥� he continued. 鈥淪uch conduct sets a reckless and dangerous precedent 鈥� one that undermines the credibility of international agreements and raises serious questions about the reliability and trustworthiness of a state that openly refuses to fulfill its legal obligations.鈥�

The statement further said India鈥檚 attempt to 鈥渨eaponize water for political ends鈥� was irresponsible and in violation of established norms of state behavior.

It called on India to 鈥渋mmediately rescind its unilateral and unlawful stance鈥� and restore the 鈥渇ull and unhindered implementation鈥� of the treaty.

鈥淧akistan remains firmly committed to the Treaty and will take all necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and entitlements under it,鈥� the spokesperson added.

Earlier in the day, the Indian minister said in his interview New Delhi would divert water by constructing a canal, and that Pakistan would be 鈥渟tarved鈥� of water it had been receiving 鈥渦njustifiably.鈥�

While Islamabad has pursued diplomatic channels to raise awareness of the issue globally, it has also warned that any Indian attempt to block river flows will be treated as 鈥渁n act of war.鈥�
With input from Reuters