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ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday criticized India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), in his message on World Water Day. &ldquo;This deliberate weaponisation of shared water resources is a matter of deep concern,&rdquo; the president said, according to a statement through the press information department. He said India&rsquo;s decision to place the treaty in abeyance and disrupt &ldquo; hydrological data-sharing&rdquo; mechanisms undermines &ldquo;both the letter and spirit&rdquo; of a &ldquo;six-decades-old&rdquo; international agreement. &ldquo;I call on India to immediately restore full implementation of the Treaty in accordance with international obligations,&rdquo; he added. The IWT signed in 1960 by Pakistan and India through the World Bank, allocated the three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan, and the three eastern rivers of Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej to India. In 2025, India unilaterally announced the suspension of its obligations under the IWT, following a terrorist attack in Illegally Indian Occupied Kashmir. India blamed Islamabad for the attack without any evidence. Zardari&rsquo;s remarks came as Pakistan marked World Water Day under the theme &ldquo;Water and Gender,&rdquo; focusing on unequal access to water. &ldquo;Women and girls often carry the heaviest burden when safe water is not available close to home,&rdquo; he said. He noted that in many parts of the country, households rely on distant or unreliable water sources, forcing women and girls to spend long hours collecting water. &ldquo;Time that could otherwise be spent in school, at work or with their families,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Access to safe water and sanitation is a basic right recognised under our Constitution,&rdquo; the president added. &ldquo;Ensuring reliable and safe water supply must remain a national priority.&rdquo; &ldquo;As pressures on water resources grow due to population demands and climate variability, we must use water with greater care,&rdquo; the president concluded

Foreign Affairs

Asif Ali Zardari condemned the Indian aggression for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a weaponization of shared water resources and a violation of the decades-old agreement.

India’s water aggression condemned as Pakistan demands treaty restoration

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Thursday accused India of engaging in &ldquo;water terrorism&rdquo; and urged the international community to ensure adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty during a Security Council briefing on &ldquo;Energy, Critical Minerals, and Security.&rdquo; Addressing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/disrupting-indus-waters-treaty-poses-immediate-humanitarian-security-risks-pakistan-at-un" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">water resources</a>, Ahmad said: &ldquo;This applies equally to water, the most critical of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-indus-treaty-abeyance-breaches-international-law-pakistan-tells-un" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">natural resources</a>.&rdquo; He added that &ldquo;shared water resources are indispensable for sustaining life, and for sustainable development and prosperity.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 721px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2029705649064640652&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5c93a164c4385a40ae1731c435bc75a3afefd2f6&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2029705649064640652"></iframe></div></div>&ldquo;We reject the weaponization of water to choke this lifeline for lower riparians, also threatening regional peace, security and stability,&rdquo; he said. India&#39;s &#39;water terrorism&#39;&nbsp; Referring to India, Ahmad said: &ldquo;Pakistan itself is confronted with water terrorism by India that has resorted to unilateral and unlawful action of putting in abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty in violation of international law and the provisions of that Treaty.&rdquo; He added, &ldquo;International community must impress upon India to return to full compliance with the Indus Waters Treaty, which remains valid and in-force as per the August 2025 award of the Court of Arbitration.&rdquo; Speaking at the session, Ahmad said: &ldquo;Access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy is essential for development, stability and prosperity.&rdquo; He added that the global shift toward renewable energy, electric mobility, battery storage, advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and grid modernization has &ldquo;sharply increased the demand for critical minerals.&rdquo; &ldquo;This upsurge has generated new geopolitical and geo-economic pressures,&rdquo; he said, warning that &ldquo;if not managed responsibly, competition over natural resources can affect supply chains, aggravate tensions, undermine sovereignty, and contribute to instability.&rdquo; Highlighting risks in conflict-affected regions, Ahmad said: &ldquo;Experience shows that where mineral wealth intersects with weak governance, entrenched poverty and external interference, the risks of instability increase.&rdquo; He noted that &ldquo;illicit extraction, trafficking networks and opaque financial flows have fuelled armed conflict and violence, weakened state institutions and deprived populations of legitimate revenues.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;The scramble for natural resources and its linkage to conflict and instability is therefore not new.&rdquo; Ahmad added that Pakistan believes &ldquo;natural resources must serve as instruments of economic development and shared prosperity, and not coercion or conflict.&rdquo;

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Thursday accused India of engaging in 'water terrorism' and urged the international community to ensure adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty during a Security Council briefing on 'Energy, Critical Minerals, and Security.'



Pakistan urges action on India for Indus Waters Treaty compliance

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has warned the UN Security Council that any unilateral disruption of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) carries &ldquo;real and immediate&rdquo; risks for regional peace, humanitarian stability, and environmental security, stressing that the treaty remains legally binding and cannot be suspended unilaterally. Addressing the Council, Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the United Nation,s Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahme, said that interference in established water-sharing arrangements would have severe consequences, particularly for Pakistan&rsquo;s population of more than 250 million people living downstream. &ldquo;Any unilateral disruption to established water-sharing arrangements carries humanitarian, environmental, and peace and security implications,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;When lifelines of millions are placed under unilateral discretion, risks are not just hypothetical.&rdquo; &ldquo;They are real and immediate.&rdquo; Referring to recent proceedings at the Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Ahmed said the ruling had reaffirmed a core legal principle governing the treaty. &ldquo;The Indus Waters Treaty remains in force. Its dispute settlement mechanisms remain binding, and no party has the legal authority to unilaterally suspend or render it inoperative,&rdquo; he said. Warning of broader global implications, he said, allowing a binding treaty governing shared natural resources to be set aside would undermine the stability of international agreements more generally. &ldquo;If a binding treaty designed to prevent disputes can be unilaterally discarded, then no agreement is truly insulated from politics,&rdquo; Ahmed told the Council. &ldquo;Borders, demilitarized zones, trade corridors, and humanitarian arrangements all become more fragile.&rdquo; He added: &ldquo;A treaty&rsquo;s true test is not when it aligns with political convenience, but when it constrains unilateral impulse.&rdquo; The ambassador stressed that maintaining international peace and security required proactive defense of legal frameworks, not just reactive crisis management. &ldquo;Upholding international peace and security requires not only responding to crises after they erupt, but defending the legal frameworks that prevent crises from arising in the first place,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Compliance with treaties must therefore be regarded as a strategic imperative for conflict prevention and resolution.&rdquo; Concluding his remarks, Ahmed urged collective responsibility among states. &ldquo;Let our message today be clear and collective: treaties must not become casualties of geopolitics. They must remain anchors of restraint, pathways of cooperation and safeguards for peace,&rdquo; he said. India announced a unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty last year following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir last year. Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the time condemned the move as &ldquo;unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit.&rdquo; Earlier this week, the Pakistani ambassador again slammed India of violating international law by placing the treaty in abeyance, warning that such actions undermine the sanctity of treaties and heighten risks to regional stability. Last month, Pakistan&rsquo;s Ambassador Usman Jadoon said that since India&rsquo;s decision, it had committed &ldquo;material breaches,&rdquo; including &ldquo;unannounced disruptions of downstream flows and withholding of hydrological information,&rdquo; which he said had created &ldquo;an unprecedented crisis for water security and for regional stability.&rdquo;<figure class="fr-media"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic"> </figcaption></figure>

Climate & Environment

Ambassador says upholding international peace and security requires “not only responding to crisis after they erupt but defending the legal frameworks that prevents crisis from arising in the first place.” 

Disrupting Indus Waters Treaty poses immediate humanitarian, security risks: Pakistan at UN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan at the United Nations on Tuesday said that &ldquo;acrobatics with words will not legitimize&rdquo; India&rsquo;s illegal occupation of Kashmir, and warned that India was &ldquo;deliberately weaponizing water.&rdquo;&nbsp; First Secretary Zulfiqar Ali from Pakistan&rsquo;s Permanent Mission to the United Nations said that the assertion that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir was an &ldquo;integral part of India does not stand the test of history, geography, justice, fairness, and most significantly, international law.&rdquo;&nbsp; &ldquo;Acrobatics with words will not legitimize India&rsquo;s illegal occupation of Kashmir, nor could the marginalization of Indian minorities do it any good,&rdquo; Ali said while speaking during the Preparatory Committee for the UN Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity meeting.&nbsp; Pakistan will continue to extend &ldquo;political and moral support to the freedom struggle of Kashmiri people,&rdquo; the first secretary said, adding that the country would call for &ldquo;holding a UN-supervised plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, as per UNSC resolutions, and the wishes and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.&rdquo; Ali also urged the international community to &ldquo;keep a close watch&rdquo; on human rights violations against minorities in India, lest our collective failure to do so might sleepwalk us to another great tragedy.&rdquo;&nbsp; India&#39;s abeyance of Indus Water TreatyIn a separate statement given at the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable at the UN, Pakistani Ambassador Usman Jadoon said since India&rsquo;s abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty in April last year, the neighbor has carried out &ldquo;material breaches; including unannounced disruptions of downstream flows and <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indias-dulhasti-stageii-project-underscores-strain-on-indus-waters-treaty-report-says" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">withholding of hydrological information</a>, creating an unprecedented crisis for water security and for regional stability.&quot; &ldquo;This is not nature&#39;s doing. This is a nation state deliberately <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-raises-alarm-over-indias-violations-of-indus-waters-treaty" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">weaponizing water</a>,&rdquo; Pakistan&rsquo;s acting permanent representative to the UN said. The ambassador said that for more than six decades, the treaty &ldquo;has provided a time-tested framework for equitable and predictable management of the waters of the Indus River basin.&rdquo; &ldquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s position is unequivocal; the treaty remains legally intact and permits <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/clarification-sought-from-india-over-abrupt-variation-in-chenab-water-flows-pakistan-fo-spox" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">no unilateral suspension</a> or modification,&rdquo; he added. Ambassador Jadoon said Pakistan believed that as we move toward the UN&rsquo;s water conference this year, the process must acknowledge water insecurity as a systemic global risk. He added that cooperation and respect for international water law must be placed at the center of shared water governance, ensuring that commitments translate into real protection for vulnerable downstream communities.

First Secretary Zulfiqar Ali says, 'Acrobatics with words will not legitimize India’s illegal occupation of Kashmir'; Ambassador Jadoon says India has carried out material breaches of Indus Water Treaty.

Pakistan calls out India's illegal occupation of Kashmir at the UN 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Commissioner for Indus Waters Syed Muhammad Mehar Ali Shah on Sunday said the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains &ldquo;fully enforced&rdquo; and cannot be suspended or set aside unilaterally, stressing that the treaty &ldquo;shall remain in force until modified or terminated by both the parties.&rdquo; Speaking to Pakistan broadcaster Geo News, Shah rejected India&rsquo;s claim of placing the treaty in abeyance, saying such a concept had no standing under international law. &ldquo;The word abeyance does not exist in international law, especially the laws of treaties,&rdquo; he said, adding that the term was &ldquo;coined by India.&rdquo; Responding to a question on whether the treaty allowed unilateral suspension, Shah said the position was unambiguous. &ldquo;It is written clearly in paragraph four [of the treaty] that the treaty shall remain in force until modified or terminated by both parties,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;That is the spirit of it. Unilaterally walking away from the treaty or non-cooperation is out of the way.&rdquo; Shah further said Pakistan&rsquo;s understanding was that India itself recognized the legal limitations. &ldquo;Even in general terms, treaties cannot be ended unilaterally in this way,&rdquo; he said. India announced a unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty last year following the Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the time condemned the move as &ldquo;unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible, and devoid of legal merit.&rdquo; On a separate application filed by Pakistan, the Court of Arbitration (CoA) in The Hague ruled that &ldquo;it was not open to India to take unilateral action to suspend these proceedings.&rdquo; Pakistan has maintained that it will continue to &ldquo;fully participate&rdquo; in the Neutral Expert proceedings related to India&rsquo;s move to place the treaty in abeyance, despite New Delhi&rsquo;s decision to halt its participation. According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, &ldquo;the Neutral Expert has ruled that India&rsquo;s non-participation could not operate as a bar to the proceedings going forward.&rdquo; Subsequently, the Court of Arbitration confirmed that it would continue to conduct the proceedings under the Indus Waters Treaty framework.

India

In an interview, Pakistan’s IWT commissioner says the treaty remains fully enforced, cannot be suspended unilaterally, and stays in force unless jointly modified or terminated.

Indus Waters Treaty ‘fully enforced’, unilateral suspension invalid: Pakistan commissioner

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday rejected the &ldquo;irresponsible assertions&rdquo; made by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, saying that New Delhi was again seeking to &ldquo;deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.&rdquo; Although Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs&rsquo; press release did not make a specific mention of the remarks by the Indian minister, its censure came after Indian media reported Jaishankar as saying on Friday that New Delhi had a right to defend itself against terrorism while talking about &ldquo;bad neighbors.&rdquo; &ldquo;You can also have bad neighbors &hellip; unfortunately, we do. When you have bad neighbors &hellip; if you look to the one to the West &mdash; if a country decides that they will deliberately, persistently, unrepentantly continue with terrorism, we have a right to defend our people against terrorism,&rdquo; Jaishankar was quoted as saying by Indian media. Speaking in reference to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), the Indian external affairs minister said: &ldquo;Many years ago we agreed to a water-sharing arrangement &mdash; the belief was it was gesture of goodwill &mdash; because of good neighborliness we were doing it &hellip; but if you have decades of terrorism there is no good neighborliness and you don&rsquo;t get the benefit of good neighborliness.&rdquo; In response to media queries regarding remarks made by the Indian Minister of External Affairs about Pakistan, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Andrabi, stated: &ldquo;Pakistan firmly rejects the irresponsible assertions made by the Indian External Affairs Minister. Once again, India seeks to deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism and contributes to regional instability.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 875px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007347186431078670&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=b7c3715df63b46b2e18cb457e1c44c887d4d1889&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>Andrabi said, &ldquo;India&rsquo;s documented involvement in promoting terrorist activities in the region, particularly in Pakistan, is well known.&rdquo; &ldquo;The case of Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav remains a stark example of organized, state-sponsored terrorism directed against Pakistan.&rdquo; Andrabi said, &ldquo;equally concerning are recurring instances of extraterritorial killings, sabotage through proxies, and covert support to terrorist networks.&rdquo; &ldquo;This pattern is consistent with the extremist ideology of Hindutva and its violent proponents,&rdquo; the spokesperson said. Andrabi further underlined that &ldquo;India continues its illegal and violent military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to extend full political, moral, and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri people in their just struggle to realize their right to self-determination, as enshrined in relevant UN Security Council resolutions.&rdquo; The IWT is &ldquo;an international agreement concluded in good faith and at considerable cost.&rdquo; &ldquo;Any unilateral violation of the Treaty by India would undermine regional stability and call into question its credibility as a state that claims to respect international legal obligations. Pakistan will take all necessary measures to safeguard its legitimate rights under the Treaty,&rdquo; Andrabi said.

Pakistan rejects remarks by Indian External Affairs Minister, calling them ‘irresponsible’; says India seeks to deflect attention from its own troubling record as a neighbor that promotes terrorism.

Pakistan rejects Jaishankar’s ‘irresponsible assertions’, warns against Indus treaty violations

ISLAMABAD: India has approved the Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab River in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), a move that violates the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which governs water sharing between Pakistan and India.&nbsp;The construction on the project, estimated to cost about 327.7 billion Indian rupees (about $3.65 billion), is expected to begin early next year and will be developed by India&rsquo;s state-run &nbsp;National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited. It is designed to generate 260 megawatts of electricity, according to Indian media reports. &#39;Flagrant violation&#39; Pakistani lawmaker Sherry Rehman raised strong objections, saying the project breaches treaty provisions covering the western rivers &mdash; the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab &mdash; allocated largely to Pakistan under the World Bank-brokered agreement.&nbsp;Rehman, Pakistan&rsquo;s former climate change minister, said India&rsquo;s decision amounted to a &ldquo;flagrant violation&rdquo; of the treaty.&nbsp;&ldquo;The IWT&nbsp;cannot be unilaterally revoked, as recent UN rapporteurs have also confirmed,&rdquo; she said in remarks posted on X. &ldquo;Pakistan has control over the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers, while the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej fall under India&rsquo;s control.&rdquo;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 635px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2005509781063373054&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F3111%2F&sessionId=6aea73df3a5fbbfbca8118eceaa43cf257cf59db&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> Rehman said India was fast-tracking several disputed hydroelectric projects in the Indus Basin following what Pakistan describes as an illegal suspension of treaty mechanisms. She listed Sawalkot, Ratle, Bursar, Pakal Dul, Kwar, Kiru and Kirthai-1 and 2 among the projects, adding that Dulhasti Stage-II was part of the same strategy. &#39;Weaponization of water&#39;She warned the &ldquo;weaponization of water&rdquo; would deepen tensions in an already strained bilateral relationship. &ldquo;This is neither sane nor acceptable in a region on the frontlines of climate change and environmental stress,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp;The approval comes amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors over disputed Kashmir. Pakistan has said it remains committed to the Indus Waters Treaty and will continue to participate in dispute-resolution mechanisms, including proceedings before neutral experts. In August, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that India must allow the waters of the western rivers to flow for Pakistan&rsquo;s use, according to Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office.&nbsp;Dulhasti Stage-II will use existing infrastructure from the 390-MW Dulhasti Stage-I plant, commissioned in 2007. Under the plan, water from the Marusudar River will be diverted through the Pakal Dul project to boost power generation, a move Indian authority have acknowledged could alter natural river flows downstream.&nbsp;India maintains that its hydropower projects comply with treaty provisions and has sought changes to streamline approval procedures. The treaty does not allow either country to unilaterally suspend or terminate the agreement.

Indian media says the construction on the project is expected to begin early next year and will be developed by India’s state-run NHPC Limited.

India approves hydropower project on Chenab in violation of Indus Waters Treaty

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held an urgent briefing for the diplomatic corps on Thursday evening, raising concerns about India&rsquo;s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty that Islamabad says threatens peace, stability, and the livelihoods of millions in South Asia. The foreign minister highlighted India&rsquo;s &ldquo;unilateral abeyance&rdquo; in April 2025&nbsp;of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between the two countries, calling it a gross contravention of international law, including Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, according to a press release issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2001919279214793215&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d7d005dc982602002ec7dd57b9c25405b8db01e2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 673px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>He said that India&rsquo;s actions have escalated to material breaches of the treaty, citing abrupt variations in the flow of the River Chenab during April-May 2025 and December 7-15, 2025, which Pakistan attributes to unilateral water releases by India without prior notification or data sharing, as required under the treaty. The briefing noted that Pakistan&rsquo;s Indus Water Commissioner had written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on these recent variations.&nbsp; &lsquo;Weaponization of water&rsquo;The foreign minister emphasized that these actions exemplify what Pakistan considers the &ldquo;weaponization of water,&rdquo; threatening agriculture, food security, economic stability, and the livelihoods of Pakistani citizens.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2001911420137673190&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=d7d005dc982602002ec7dd57b9c25405b8db01e2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to the minister, India has repeatedly sought to undermine the IWT, including by constructing hydropower projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle, which Pakistan says violate the treaty&rsquo;s technical specifications.&nbsp; India is also accused of halting the sharing of hydrological data and joint oversight, increasing risks of floods and droughts in Pakistan. The minister warned that India&rsquo;s conduct contravenes international human rights and humanitarian law and could trigger a humanitarian crisis, while undermining progress on the Sustainable Development Goals on poverty and hunger.&nbsp; He also criticized India for refusing to participate in the treaty&rsquo;s dispute resolution mechanisms, including proceedings before the Court of Arbitration and Neutral Expert. Pakistan reiterated that the IWT is a binding legal instrument vital to regional peace and stability.&nbsp; The minister cited recent rulings by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in June and August 2025, which reaffirmed the treaty&rsquo;s validity and binding dispute-resolution mechanisms.&nbsp; He also referenced communications from UN Special Procedures and Mandate Holders expressing concerns about India&rsquo;s actions, which were made public on Dec. 15. The briefing further noted India&rsquo;s June 21 declaration by its Home Minister, stating that India would &ldquo;never&rdquo; restore the treaty and intended to divert waters to Rajasthan via a new canal.&nbsp; &lsquo;Water is life&rsquo;Pakistan&rsquo;s National Security Committee has reportedly declared that any attempt to block or divert water under the treaty would be considered an &ldquo;Act of War.&rdquo; The foreign minister underscored the potential human rights impact of India&rsquo;s actions, including threats to the rights to work, livelihood, water, food, adequate living standards, and a clean environment.&nbsp; He called on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, to address the situation and urged diplomats to advocate for the restoration of the treaty, an end to the &ldquo;weaponization of water,&rdquo; and adherence to international law. &ldquo;Water is life and cannot be weaponized,&rdquo; he concluded, reaffirming Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution while insisting that it will not compromise on the water rights of its people.

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held an urgent briefing for the diplomatic corps, raising concerns over India’s actions that Islamabad says are threatening peace, stability, and the livelihoods of millions in South Asia.

Pakistan urges international community to advocate for restoration of Indus Waters Treaty

ISLAMABAD: In a communication,&nbsp;UN experts have said that India violated the prohibition on the use of force under the UN Charter&nbsp;by taking military action inside Pakistan in May, and sought a response regarding India&#39;s potential human rights violations and its unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. UN Special Rapporteurs and an independent expert, under the Human Rights Council&#39;s mandate, in a Special Procedures communication dated Oct. 16 but released recently, had sought the Indian government&rsquo;s response within 60 days. No such response has been made public so far. &nbsp; Pakistan&rsquo;s call for independent investigationIn their communication, the UN officials strongly condemned the Pahalgam attack and emphasized that those responsible must be brought to justice in accordance with the law.&nbsp; They highlighted that Pakistan had denied any involvement in the incident and consistently called for an independent, transparent, and impartial investigation. They stated that&nbsp;on May 7, India used force within Pakistan&rsquo;s territory under Operation Sindoor and that &ldquo;India did not ... notify the Security Council that its operation was in the exercise of the right of self-defense under article 51 of the United Nations Charter, under the procedures required by that article.&rdquo; In the communication, the experts stated: &quot;We are equally concerned that India did not notify the Security Council of any claim of self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter.&rdquo; Lack of credible evidence&nbsp;They further stated: &ldquo;We are concerned that India has not disclosed credible evidence that the militants who committed the Pahalgam attack were sent to attack India by the Government of Pakistan.&rdquo; They highlighted in the communication that, &ldquo;According to Pakistan, civilian areas were struck, including mosques, and a number of civilians were killed and injured.&rdquo; They added: &ldquo;We are concerned that India&rsquo;s response &hellip; appears to have violated the rights to life and security of person, as a result of the unlawful use of force on Pakistan&rsquo;s territory.&rdquo; The experts stated that, &ldquo;As such, it appears that India has violated the prohibition on the use of force under article 2(4) of the Charter&hellip;&rdquo; &ldquo;The unlawful use of force would consequently constitute a violation of the right to life under article 6 of the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights],&rdquo; they added. The experts stated: &ldquo;There is no separate right to unilaterally use military force in foreign territory in order to counter terrorism.&rdquo; The communication highlights that &ldquo;&hellip;India may itself have committed an armed attack on Pakistan, entitling Pakistan to exercise self-defense under article 51 of the Charter&hellip;&rdquo; &ldquo;The illegal use of force on foreign territory would also constitute a violation of the foreign State&rsquo;s sovereignty and the duty of non-intervention in a foreign State,&rdquo; it says. On the Indus Waters TreatyOn the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty and arbitration, the communication states: &ldquo;India challenged the Court&rsquo;s jurisdiction &hellip; and has refused to participate in the proceedings.&rdquo; The communication states, &ldquo;We are deeply concerned that any disruption of the flow of water to Pakistan &hellip; could severely affect the human rights of millions of people in Pakistan&hellip;&rdquo; The experts ask the Indian government to respond to several questions.&nbsp; They request India to provide additional information on the allegations and clarify whether it will offer reparations and an apology for violations of the right to life from unlawful use of force in Pakistan.&nbsp; It also asks India to explain its commitment to fulfilling obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty without interfering with Pakistan&#39;s rights and the human rights of affected populations.&nbsp; The text seeks clarification on measures to prevent harm to rights related to water, environment, food, and development resulting from Treaty disruptions.&nbsp; It also inquires whether India will peacefully settle Treaty disputes through proper provisions and pursue the peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir territorial dispute in accordance with international law and the right of self-determination.&nbsp;The UN experts added: &ldquo;This communication and any response received from your Excellency&rsquo;s Government will be made public via the communications reporting website within 60 days. They will also subsequently be made available in the usual report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.&rdquo;

UN Special Rapporteurs and an independent expert under the Human Rights Council's mandate in a Special Procedures communication sought a response from the Indian government.

UN demands India explain use of force on Pakistan, Indus Treaty suspension

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sought clarification from India over an &ldquo;abrupt variation&rdquo; in the Chenab River&rsquo;s flow, with the Foreign Office saying its Indus water commissioner has formally written to his Indian counterpart under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) procedures. In a weekly press briefing broadcast live on the ministry&rsquo;s social media account on Thursday, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi talked about the &ldquo;abrupt variation&rdquo; in the flow of the Chenab River.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2001539859375362539&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=a1ed9f1a960b94e8ad9472a6e71dc4c5cf066845&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 640px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Pakistan views these variations with extreme concern and seriousness. They allude to unilateral release of water into the Chenab River by India, without any prior notification,&rdquo; FO spokesperson said. &ldquo;Our Indus water commissioner has written a letter to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on the matters in accordance with the procedures enshrined in the Indus Waters Treaty.&rdquo; Lives on the line&nbsp;Andrabi said, &ldquo;Any manipulation of river flow by India, especially at a critical time of our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the lives and livelihoods as well as food and economic security of our citizens.&rdquo; &ldquo;We call upon India to respond to the queries raised by the Pakistani Indus water commissioner, refrain from any unilateral manipulation of river flows and fulfil its obligations in letter and spirit under the Indus Water Treaty provisions,&rdquo; he said. The FO spokesperson further said that the IWT was a &ldquo;binding international agreement,&rdquo; which had been &ldquo;an instrument of peace and security and stability in the region.&rdquo; Existential rights &nbsp;Andrabi said that violating the treaty threatened the &ldquo;inviolability of international treaties and compliance with international law&rdquo; and also posed a serious threat to &ldquo;regional peace, principles of good neighborliness, and norms governing interstate relations&rdquo;. &ldquo;The international community must take notice of India&rsquo;s continued disregard of a bilateral treaty, and counsel India to act responsibly and in accordance with international law and established norms as well as its own obligations.&rdquo; He said, &ldquo;Pakistan remains committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and issues with India but will not compromise on the existential water rights of the people of our country.&rdquo; Incident in Bihar condemned &nbsp;On the issue of the incident where Chief Minister of the Indian state of Bihar Nitish Kumar pulled the veil of a Muslim woman, Andrabi said: &ldquo;The forcible removal of the Muslim woman&rsquo;s hijab by a senior political leader and subsequent public ridicule of this act are deeply disturbing and warrant strong condemnation&rdquo;. &ldquo;The action risks normalizing the humiliation of Muslim women in India. The conduct also demonstrates public disrespect of India&rsquo;s religious minorities, particularly its Muslim citizens,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Such conduct reflects a broader and troubling pattern associated with Hindutva-inspired politics, namely the alarming rise of religious intolerance and Islamophobia,&rdquo; Andrabi added. &ldquo;We urge all responsible stakeholders and the Indian government to recognize the seriousness of this incident and to reaffirm their commitment to the protection of minority rights, respect for religious freedom, and the preservation of human dignity,&rdquo; the spokesperson said.

Foreign Office spokesperson says, ‘Our Indus water commissioner has written a letter to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on the matter in accordance with the procedures enshrined in the Indus Waters Treaty.’

Articles tagged with "Indus Waters Treaty"