Pakistan, Sept. 3 -- Pakistan on Wednesday welcomed the "clear and authoritative pronouncements" by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in its ruling, affirming that it retained all diplomatic and non-diplomatic options to protect its water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), and urging New Delhi to return to full compliance.

Addressing his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that the court's unanimous award constituted an important reaffirmation of the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty and the rule of international law.

He said that PCA's ruling vindicated Pakistan's consistent position that differences concerning the Indus waters must be addressed strictly within the framework of the Tr...