Dar warns India against weaponising Indus waters

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar of Pakistan has issued a stern warning that any attempt to undermine Pakistan's water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty could have "profound consequences for regional peace and security." The treaty, which has endured for over six decades, has been strained since India announced in 2025 that it would suspend its treaty obligations.

This decision came in the wake of an attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir's Pahalgam, which India blamed on Pakistan without evidence, an allegation Pakistan strongly denied. In a virtual address to a Washington seminar, Dar reaffirmed that Pakistan would safeguard its legitimate rights and interests under the treaty and international law, despite India's unilateral decision to place the treaty in abeyance.

Dar emphasized that the treaty, which allocates the three eastern rivers to India and the three western rivers, including the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, to Pakistan, is "valid, binding, and fully operative." He stressed that the treaty's provisions prevent either party from unilaterally suspending or placing it in abeyance, as there is no such provision in the agreement.

Dar stressed that the issue goes beyond bilateral relations, calling for the international community to preserve treaty-based water governance in South Asia. He highlighted that the treaty has survived wars, military crises, diplomatic breakdowns, and prolonged political tensions, as water is too fundamental to be subjected to fluctuations in political relations.

Pakistan relies heavily on the Indus River system for agriculture, food security, energy production, livelihoods, and economic development. Dar warned that unilateral interference with the treaty could create a dangerous precedent for treaty relations worldwide, undermining the purpose of concluding treaties. He emphasized that the treaty's dispute-settlement mechanism, which includes dialogue, technical engagement, and lawful dispute resolution, has proven effective in resolving differences between the two countries.

Dar reiterated that Pakistan considers its water rights a matter of vital national importance and will not abandon its legitimate rights and obligations under the treaty.