Pakistan's Resource Paradox

September 12, 2026 at 7:40 AM4 min read5 views

Leadership Newsletter

Twice-monthly insights on leading teams and organizations.

Newsletter preferences

In what can be called a landmark victory for Pakistan, a court of arbitration in The Hague has ruled that India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, rejecting every argument New Delhi has used to justify holding the six-decade-old water-sharing agreement “in abeyance” since April 2025. The five-member court found that the treaty “remains fully in force” and that India “must observe its obligations” under it, including those governing the design and operation of hydropower projects on rivers that flow into Pakistan. India, which is officially a member of the court, said it did not recognize the court and "categorically" rejected the verdict. Although the ruling strengthens Pakistan's position, even if it offers no obvious way to force India's hand, it has once again brought into the limelight the hydropolitics being played over the treaty.

Pakistan stands at the crossroads of its development journey, with the management of its water and natural resources emerging as the defining challenge of our time. The Indus River System, which supports approximately 90% of the country's agricultural production, is under siege due to inefficient irrigation practices, aging infrastructure and climate change impacts. The country's per capita water availability has...

Pakistan's Resource Paradox

Related Articles

The Hydropolitics of the Indus Waters Treaty

Polio Eradication

Pakistan of the Modern Era

Members Only

Explore this article

About the Author