ISLAMABAD: Victor Gao, President of the Centre for China and Globalization (CCG), has proposed including China in the Indus Waters Treaty to transform it into a trilateral framework for regional water cooperation.
Addressing a seminar in Islamabad, Gao said the treaty is vital for international law and regional stability and must be fully respected and protected.
He recalled opposing calls by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year to stop Pakistan’s water supply, describing any attempt to block water as a crime against humanity and, during wartime, a potential war crime.
Gao noted that the Indus River originates in the Himalayan region and stressed that no country should take actions it would not accept if directed against itself.
He also called for uninterrupted water flows under the treaty and urged the countries dependent on rivers originating from the Tibetan Plateau to jointly develop a comprehensive code of conduct for managing transboundary water resources, with the support of the United Nations and the international community.
Gao further expressed hope that if Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Field Marshal continue efforts to promote regional peace and stability, they could emerge as strong candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize in the future.
