Pakistan scores diplomatic victory over India as UNHRC adopts water rights resolution

Pakistan has secured a major diplomatic success against India after the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution in Geneva recognising the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.

The 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Wednesday that the resolution, presented by Germany and Spain, includes an explicit reference to cross-border water cooperation following active diplomatic efforts by Pakistan.

As per the channel report, Pakistan played a key role in ensuring that the reference to cooperation over transboundary water resources remained in the final text of the resolution.

India had sought to remove the reference to cross-border water cooperation from the resolution. However, the 47-member Human Rights Council adopted the resolution by consensus.

Pakistan’s First Secretary, Adeel Khokhar, said cooperation over shared water resources was a joint responsibility of neighbouring countries.

He said no upstream country could use water as an instrument of political pressure or influence.

The inclusion of the reference to cross-border water cooperation marks an important point in Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts regarding shared water resources and regional cooperation.

Pakistan’s diplomatic push came as the Human Rights Council considered the wider human rights implications of access to safe drinking water and sanitation.