London (National Times) Dr. Mohammad Faisal, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the UK, convened the second British-Pakistani Lawyers’ Moot under the UK Lawyers Forum, chaired by Amjad Malik, to discuss strategies in response to India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

The event brought together a distinguished group of legal professionals, including prominent lawyers, retired judges, legal experts, practitioners, and law students from the British-Pakistani community.

Keynote presentations were delivered by legal experts such as Barrister Rashid Aslam, Justice (Retd.) Zubair Gondal, and researcher Ms. Sumawia. Their papers analyzed the legal and political ramifications of India’s decision to hold the IWT in abeyance without bilateral consent. This was followed by interactive Q&A sessions engaging attendees in deeper discussion.

Speakers proposed escalating the issue within influential UK institutions such as the Inns of Court, the House of Commons, and relevant United Nations forums to ensure international accountability and uphold the World Bank-brokered treaty.

In his remarks, High Commissioner Faisal underscored the significance of the Indus Waters Treaty, which was the result of over a decade of negotiations, and condemned India’s unilateral move to suspend it. He warned that weaponizing water resources sets a dangerous precedent and called on the global community to act swiftly.

Welcoming the proposals put forward during the moot, Dr. Faisal pledged that the Pakistan High Commission in the UK would support similar gatherings at other consulates across the country to generate concrete proposals from the legal community.

The forum marks a continued effort by British-Pakistani legal experts to seek diplomatic and legal remedies to protect Pakistan’s water rights under the treaty.