ISLAMABAD — On Tuesday, Pakistan’s government issued a strong warning against any efforts by India to withhold its share of water as per the Indus Waters Treaty. They termed such actions as the “weaponization of water,” which could lead to significant threats to regional peace and stability.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other officials, voiced these concerns during an international seminar focused on the treaty established in 1960, which dictates how water from the Indus River system is shared between the two nuclear nations.
The treaty has faced renewed challenges after India paused its participation following a tragic incident in April, where 26 tourists were killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir. India blamed militants from Pakistan for this act, which Pakistan has denied, instead suggesting an independent investigation.
This incident significantly worsened relations, marking one of the steepest declines in decades. Both nations downgraded diplomatic and trade interactions, closed their main border crossing, and cancelled visas for each other’s citizens. The situation escalated into missile exchanges in May 2025, before a ceasefire was announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Since then, relations have remained tense and unresolved.
During the seminar, Dar emphasized that water should never be used as a tool for politics. “Shared waters should be a bridge between nations, driven by cooperation, dialogue, and respect for international law benefiting current and future generations,” he stated.
He highlighted the importance of water for human dignity, food security, and economic growth, arguing that rivers crossing borders should encourage collaboration, not conflict.
Dar labeled India’s 2025 suspension of the treaty as “illegal,” and stressed that Pakistan views the agreement as intact and binding. “No country can unilaterally suspend or end its obligations under a treaty without provisions for doing so,” he added, insisting that international agreements should be honored sincerely.
He reiterated Pakistan’s stance, explaining that any attempts to alter or restrict Pakistan’s water rights under the treaty would be perceived as an “act of war,” referencing a resolution from Pakistan’s National Security Committee after India’s suspension announcement.
Recently, Pakistan has accused India of treaty violations, claiming that India has reduced water flow in the Chenab River. During the seminar, Mehar Ali Shah, head of Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority, echoed these concerns.
There was no immediate response from India regarding these allegations.
Earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stressed that the treaty cannot be changed, suspended, or revoked by one side alone. He pointed out the increasing urgency to protect the agreement as climate change, melting glaciers, and growing water shortages threaten regional stability.
Brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty outlines the water allocation from the Indus River system, granting India control over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas—while Pakistan receives the waters from the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
Throughout its history, until May 2025, the treaty has endured multiple wars between the two countries, including conflicts in 1965, 1971, and the 1999 Kargil conflict, and is seen as one of the few lasting agreements amid ongoing tensions over Kashmir.
