Islamabad -Commissioner for Indus Waters, Syed Mehr Ali Shah, on Tuesday said India cannot legally suspend or terminate the Indus Waters Treaty unilaterally, describing the agreement as a cornerstone of regional peace and Pakistan's water security. Speaking at an international seminar on the treaty, Shah said the 1960 accord is an internationally recognized agreement with a comprehensive dispute resolution mechanism and should be implemented in accordance with its established principles. He said the treaty is closely linked to Pakistan's agriculture, food security and economy, adding that it is "not just a document but a matter of survival" for the country's 240 million people. Shah said the agreement requires both countries to exchange timely and accurate data on river flows and provides for international arbitration under Article 9 if disputes cannot be resolved bilaterally. He accused India of failing to comply with the treaty since August 2023, alleging that New Delhi has not provided the required hydrological data and has unlawfully suspended the agreement. Shah said Pakistan has written to India requesting the data and has also raised the treaty dispute at the United Nations. He further alleged that India's proposed Chenab-Beas link project violates the treaty by seeking to divert water from the Chenab River, adding that India is obligated under the agreement to allow Pakistan to inspect the project. Shah said international arbitration panels have twice clarified that India cannot suspend or terminate the treaty unilaterally and have directed that the flow of the western rivers should not be obstructed. He warned that water should never be used as a weapon, saying any disruption in data sharing or river flows could affect millions of people downstream in Pakistan.