Pakistan has intensified its rhetoric in the ongoing dispute with India regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik declared that Islamabad would forcefully oppose any attempts to claim what Pakistan considers its rightful share of water under the agreement. These strong remarks come as the decades-old water-sharing pact faces unprecedented strain, particularly after New Delhi's decision to suspend the treaty following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack.
Malik Accuses India of Water Control
During a joint media briefing with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Minister Malik accused India of attempting to control Pakistan's water supply. He cautioned that any threat to Islamabad's water entitlements would not go unanswered. Malik described the situation as one where a neighboring country's leadership unilaterally controlled water flow into Pakistan, framing it as a deliberate restriction. He then issued a pointed warning, stating that Pakistan would take forceful action against anyone attempting to claim water it considers its own.
Pakistan Upholds Treaty's Binding Nature
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar asserted that the Indus Waters Treaty remains a binding legal instrument that cannot be unilaterally suspended, canceled, or modified by either nation. He claimed that India's attempt to suspend the treaty had failed to gain international support, emphasizing that the agreement continues to hold legal force because India's position has not been endorsed globally. Tarar also highlighted that both Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir have consistently described water as a vital lifeline and a 'red line' that cannot be crossed.
According to Tarar, Pakistan's entitlements are protected under international legal frameworks, and the treaty represents a binding commitment accepted by both nations, remaining in effect today. He added that international opinion is increasingly recognizing Pakistan's stance on the matter, reiterating that the agreement is immune to one-sided revocation or amendment.
International Seminar Planned Amid Rising Tensions
The two ministers also announced that Pakistan would host its first dedicated international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad on Tuesday. Tarar indicated that legal experts, water resource specialists, and foreign delegates had already begun arriving for the event, which aims to explore both the legal foundations and technical dimensions of Pakistan's claims under the treaty.
India Defends its Position
India has firmly defended its decision, arguing that the treaty, signed over six decades ago, no longer aligns with current realities. India's First Secretary to the UN, Anupama Singh, speaking at the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, questioned the logic of a country accused of state-sponsored terrorism expecting continued benefits from bilateral cooperation. She argued that it is inconsistent for a nation that uses terrorism as a policy tool to simultaneously seek goodwill-based privileges from a cooperative treaty framework.
Singh characterized the agreement as outdated, stating that a treaty negotiated in 1960 cannot reasonably be considered a permanent, unconditional entitlement, immune from scrutiny and disconnected from the dramatic shifts over the past sixty years. She urged Pakistan to focus on its domestic challenges rather than raising bilateral disputes on international platforms.