Pakistan Warns India Against Using Shared Waters as Political Leverage

DID Press: Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that any attempt by India to deny Pakistan access to waters allocated under the Indus Waters Treaty could have profound consequences for regional peace and security.

Speaking at a virtual conference titled “Indus Waters Treaty: South Asian Security at a Crossroads,” hosted by the Pakistani Embassy in Washington, Dar said the treaty remains valid and legally binding, arguing that India’s unilateral decision to suspend the agreement does not nullify its legal status.

Dar stressed that shared water resources should not be used as a tool of pressure or political leverage.

The Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960 after years of negotiations and with mediation by the World Bank, established a framework for managing water resources in the Indus River basin between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan’s foreign minister said the continued validity of the treaty represents a test of respect for international agreements and the principle that treaty obligations cannot be set aside through unilateral political decisions.