- Water weaponisation tantamount to undermining regional peace: Tarar
- Says Indus Waters Treaty remains key global water-sharing agreement
- Adds IWT treaty protects lifeline of 240 million people of Pakistani.
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar warned that Pakistan’s leadership is ready and to give an effective response if any attempt is made to stop the country’s water, reaffirming that Islamabad would safeguard the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty under all circumstances.
Addressing an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad on Tuesday, Tarar said Pakistan remained committed to ensuring that the treaty remained intact, stressing that using water as a weapon is tantamount to undermining regional and global peace and stability.
The minister said the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty holds a unique place in international relations and remains one of the world’s most enduring water-sharing agreements.
India held the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance, following the killing of 26 people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025. New Delhi accused Islamabad of orchestrating the deadly militant attack, an allegation that Pakistan denied.
“We are not merely discussing a treaty, but the lifeline of 240 million people,” Tarar said, adding that water is not just a natural resource for Pakistan but a matter of national survival.
He said Pakistan has consistently maintained that its people have a legitimate and complete right over the waters of the Indus River, warning that any attempt to stop or divert Pakistan’s water would receive an effective response from the country’s leadership.
He added that Pakistan’s history is intrinsically linked to the Indus River and that agriculture, the backbone of the national economy, depends on its waters.
The minister said Pakistan has always demonstrated its commitment to peaceful relations, constructive dialogue and the sincere implementation of international agreements. He noted that the Indus Waters Treaty was established more than six decades ago through mutual consent between two countries.
He stressed that any changes to the treaty could only be made through mutual agreement, adding that the unilateral suspension of the treaty had embarrassed India at international forums.
It is to be noted here that based on baseless allegations, India started the war against Pakistan in May 2025, which was the heaviest fighting to have occurred between the two neighbouring nations in decades, before a ceasefire was reached and brokered by the US.
Pakistan, during the 87-hour conflict, downed eight Indian fighter jets, including French-made Rafale, and dozens of drones.
