ISLAMABAD – The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has ruled in favour of Pakistan in a landmark case over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), delivering a decisive blow to India’s bid to alter the treaty’s operation. The verdict, issued on August 8, 2025, and published on Monday, confirms that India must “let flow” the waters of the Western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — for Pakistan’s unrestricted use, with only narrowly defined exceptions.
Pakistan had brought the case in 2016, objecting to India’s plans for run-of-river hydroelectric plants, including the Kishanganga and Ratle projects, which Islamabad claimed breached the treaty. While India refused to join the arbitration, the court maintained jurisdiction and ruled its decisions final and binding.
The PCA’s Award sets out clear technical restrictions:
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Low-level outlets on Pakistani rivers are banned unless strictly needed for sediment control, kept minimal, and placed as high as possible.
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Gated spillways should be avoided wherever feasible.
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Maximum pondage must be limited to twice the seven-day low flow calculation.
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Freeboard should match only the dam safety requirements under international standards.
The court also stressed early cooperation between both countries before India starts designing any new hydropower plants on Western rivers, allowing Pakistan to raise valid concerns.
Former Indus Water Commissioner Jamaat Ali Shah hailed the ruling, saying it upholds Pakistan’s stance and ensures India cannot arbitrarily suspend the treaty or curb water flows. He urged the government to pursue further legal action to secure water data from India, which has been withheld since New Delhi declared the treaty in abeyance earlier this year.
Prominent lawyer Ahmer Bilal Soofi called the Award a “diplomatic and legal victory,” adding that it reinforces Pakistan’s credibility in international forums. While the court will address the specific Kishanganga and Ratle dam disputes later, the present ruling significantly strengthens Pakistan’s position in all future negotiations and legal proceedings.