Pakistan has warned India over its unilateral actions affecting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Officials said these actions threaten water security and regional stability.
The warning was issued by Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He spoke at the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable hosted by Canada and the United Nations University.
Ambassador Jadoon said India’s decision to hold the IWT in abeyance in April last year was followed by breaches of the treaty. These included unannounced disruptions of water flows and withholding hydrological data.
He described India’s actions as deliberate “weaponization of water” and stressed that Pakistan’s stance is clear. The treaty remains legally binding and allows no unilateral suspension or modification.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, has been a time-tested framework for managing the Indus River basin. It provides over 80% of Pakistan’s agricultural water and sustains the livelihoods of more than 240 million people.
Ambassador Jadoon highlighted that water insecurity is now a systemic risk affecting food, energy, health, and human security. Pakistan faces floods, droughts, glacier melt, groundwater depletion, and rapid population growth, all adding pressure on its water systems.
He said Pakistan is strengthening water resilience through flood protection, irrigation rehabilitation, groundwater replenishment, and ecosystem restoration. Projects such as Living Indus and Recharge Pakistan are key initiatives.
Ambassador Jadoon also emphasized that systemic water risks in shared basins cannot be managed by any single country. Predictability, transparency, and cooperation are critical for downstream populations’ survival.
He called on India to respect international water law and urged all nations to treat water insecurity as a global risk. Cooperation and diplomatic solutions, he said, are essential ahead of the UN Water Conference in 2026.
Read our latest update on regional diplomacy in Latest Pakistan-India Diplomatic Move: Nuclear and Prisoner Lists. the news highlights recent talks and developments shaping Pakistan-India relations.
By raising its concerns at the UN, Pakistan warns India that unilateral actions affecting shared rivers could have serious consequences for millions of people in the region.
