Tarar says dialogue, not force, is way forward

QUETTA BUREAU —Federal Minister for Law and Justice Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar on Wednesday stressed that adherence to international law, treaties and established global norms was essential for lasting peace in South Asia, urging Pakistan and India to resolve their disputes through dialogue and mechanisms provided by the United Nations rather than the use of force.

Delivering the keynote address at the Margalla Dialogue, the minister said the shared history, geography and sensitivities of the two countries made it imperative to pursue peaceful solutions through international agreements and multilateral institutions. Referring to the recent escalation, Tarar said Pakistan had offered to facilitate an independent investigation into the incident by any country or agency in the world.

However, instead of pursuing the offer and available diplomatic and legal mechanisms, the path of military aggression was chosen, he added. He said disregard for the rule of law and established international mechanisms ultimately affected people on both sides, stressing that domestic and international rule of law remained the foundation for fair and sustainable dispute resolution.

Describing the Indus Waters Treaty as a unique and successful international agreement, the minister said it had remained in force for more than six decades despite wars and tensions between Pakistan and India. He said the treaty, facilitated by the World Bank, provided a structured framework for water distribution, information exchange and dispute resolution through the Permanent Indus Commission, a Neutral Expert and a Court of Arbitration.

Tarar maintained that the treaty did not provide for unilateral termination and required mutual consent of both parties. He said India's announcement of unilateral suspension of the treaty was contrary to its spirit and the fundamental principles of international law, particularly the rights of a lower riparian state.

The minister said states had two broad choices for resolving disputes: the use of force or settlement through law, dialogue and institutional mechanisms. In the modern era, he added, the use of force carried grave and long-lasting consequences. He emphasised that diplomacy, engagement and international legal frameworks should be prioritised to prevent conflict and its devastating consequences for the region.

He expressed hope that countries in the region would use international law and available multilateral mechanisms to resolve their disputes peacefully. Separately, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed warned that India's planned water projects on the Chenab River could enable it to increase its capacity to control and regulate water flows, posing a serious threat to Pakistan.

Speaking at the Margalla Dialogue, he said India was developing five major and 19 smaller projects on the Chenab, besides pursuing three schemes aimed at diverting river water. He warned that by 2030, India could increase its water-storage and flow-regulation capacity from 12 days to 50 days, while further enhancing its storage capacity by 2032.

The development could affect nearly 10 million people in Pakistan, he added. The Wapda chairman said India wanted to restrict water supplies when Pakistani farmers needed them and release water when demand was low. He stated that India demonstrated its ability to regulate river flows after wheat sowing in Pakistan.

On December 12, when the first watering of the wheat crop was due, the flow at Marala was reduced to 13,206 cusecs, he said. He added that India had also stopped sharing river-flow data, which had been exchanged between the two countries' water commissioners in the past. He noted that the move was not only a violation of the water agreement but also a breach of human rights, urging Pakistan to raise the issue at the international level.

Meanwhile, former national security adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasir Khan Janjua called for diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan to end the ongoing conflict and address the threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He said Afghanistan's Taliban rulers were using the TTP as a proxy against Pakistan, while hostile intelligence agencies were operating in Balochistan.

Janjua said Pakistan had fought several wars with India and remained embroiled in the conflict in Afghanistan, with successive generations bearing the consequences. He noted that the nature of internal security threats had changed considerably, pointing out that police officers who once carried batons to enforce the law now needed rifles to protect themselves.

Questioning Pakistan's prolonged involvement in the Afghan conflict, he said the country had neither invited the Soviet Union into Afghanistan nor had any connection with the September 11 attacks. He argued that those who initiated the war in Afghanistan had withdrawn twice, leaving Pakistan to deal with its consequences.

"We are still suffering from this war and the global narrative surrounding it," he said. Janjua urged Islamabad to engage Kabul, directly or indirectly, and involve Iran, China and Russia if necessary to help end the conflict. He said Pakistan should demand peace along its borders rather than merely asking Afghanistan to hand over TTP terrorists.

He also called for action against those fomenting unrest in Balochistan, questioning why the Khan of Kalat could not be brought back. Referring to the broader regional situation, he said Pakistan had made enormous sacrifices in the war against terrorism but there had been no outright winner in the conflict.

Earlier, Brig Dr Rashid Wali Janjua said the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) would make future wars more dangerous, with technological superiority becoming a decisive factor. Speaking at the dialogue, he said drone warfare had changed the nature of modern conflicts, adding that reports of successful drone strikes often overlooked the hundreds of drones that failed to hit their targets.

He cautioned that everyone would become part of future wars, whether they wanted to or not. "Whether you like war or not, war will come to you," he said, stressing that countries needed to remain technologically ahead of their adversaries. Referring to Pakistan's recent conflict with India, he said the country had performed well by effectively employing technology and using it to shoot down Indian aircraft.

He also referred to China's development of mosquito-sized drones capable of striking enemy targets, highlighting the growing sophistication of modern warfare. With additional input from APP