New Delhi: In a major setback to Pakistan, the World Bank clarified on Friday that it has no role in resolving issues related to the Indus Water Treaty, which India suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives.
A message from World Bank chief Ajay Banga, shared by the Indian government, said, "We have no role to play beyond that of a facilitator."
“There’s a lot of speculation in the media about how the World Bank will step in and fix the problem, but it’s all bunk. The World Bank’s role is merely as a facilitator," the World Bank president said.
Pakistan has asserted that it is preparing legal action against India's suspension of the treaty, including taking the matter to the World Bank.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared that the river and its tributaries rightfully belong to India and will now be utilized in the nation's interest.
"Bharat ke haq ka paani, Bharat ke haq mein bahega," PM Modi had remarked.
The Indus Water Treaty, which was signed in 1960, governs the sharing of the waters of six rivers—Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—between India and Pakistan.
The waters of these rivers play a vital role in irrigating Pakistan’s farm area and boosting crop production. The Salal and Baglihar Dams are both located on the Chenab River, and water is released from these dams during the lean season to irrigate the crops in Pakistan. India’s decision to suspend the treaty came as Pakistan has been continuing to recruit, train and finance cross-border terrorism as an instrument of state policy backed by the notorious ISI, the army’s intelligence wing.
Meanwhile, World Bank President Ajay Banga, currently visiting India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and assured him that the World Bank will not intervene in India’s decision regarding the treaty. He also held discussions with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Delhi.
On Friday, Banga travelled to Lucknow to observe the economic progress of Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state.
(inputs from IANS)