Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has warned India against undermining regional peace by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying any attempt to interfere with Pakistan’s water rights would amount to sowing the “seeds of war.”
Speaking at an international conference on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad, Dar said Pakistan considers the protection of its water resources a core national interest. The conference brought together international water and legal experts to discuss Pakistan’s rights under the treaty and the legal implications of India’s decision to place it in abeyance.
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India announced in April 2025 that it was suspending the World Bank-brokered treaty following a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the allegation and maintains that the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally.
Dar reiterated that the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and urged India to resolve disputes through dialogue, diplomacy, and the treaty’s established dispute resolution mechanisms. He also called for lasting peace and stability in South Asia through constructive engagement.
Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik told the conference that accepting India’s position would undermine confidence in international agreements governing shared water resources. He called for an enforceable global framework that imposes political, economic, and diplomatic consequences on countries that violate transboundary water treaties.
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Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the treaty as a lifeline for Pakistan’s more than 240 million people, saying the Indus River is critical to the country’s agriculture, economy, and food security. He warned that Pakistan’s leadership would respond firmly to any attempt to disrupt the country’s water supply.
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