Islamabad (TDI): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the World Bank for backing Pakistan’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty, especially in the wake of India’s unilateral actions that threaten the integrity of a vital international agreement.
During a meeting in Islamabad with Ousmane Dione, the World Bank’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the prime minister acknowledged the Bank’s consistent and principled support for Pakistan on this issue.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to international law, Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of peaceful dialogue and cooperative frameworks in addressing regional disputes.
India suspended its participation in the 1960 treaty following a deadly terrorist incident in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad, a charge Pakistan strongly denies.
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The Prime Minister spoke warmly of Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with the World Bank, especially under the Country Partnership Framework, a program he said had played a key role in supporting the country’s priorities in areas like education, energy, climate adaptation, and public sector reforms.
Recalling the massive floods of 2022, the Prime Minister said the World Bank’s quick assistance had been a lifeline. “They didn’t waste any time,” he noted. “Their support helped us get relief supplies out quickly and begin the hard work of reconstruction in some of the worst-hit areas.”
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Responding to the Prime Minister’s remarks, Ousmane Dione said the Bank would continue backing Pakistan’s efforts to steady its economy. He acknowledged the tough choices being made to fix structural issues and praised the government for staying the course on reforms.
As the meeting drew to a close, both sides agreed that there’s still a lot to be done, but expressed confidence in working together to meet Pakistan’s long-term development needs.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
