Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday cautioned India against violating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that any attempt to undermine the agreement could have serious implications for regional peace, security and the international legal order.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the international seminar titled “The Indus Waters Treaty: A Key Instrument for Peace and Regional Stability” at Islamabad’s Jinnah Convention Centre, Dar stressed that the treaty remained a cornerstone of peaceful cooperation between Pakistan and India.
Signed on September 19, 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty has governed the sharing of the Indus River system for more than six decades. India suspended the agreement in April 2025 following the Pahalgam attack.
Dar said any effort to deny Pakistan its rightful share of water under the treaty would have far-reaching consequences for South Asia.
“If international agreements can be disregarded wherever they become politically inconvenient, confidence in the international legal order is inevitably weakened. The sanctity of treaties is one of the foundations upon which peaceful relations among states are built.”
He added that the consequences of such actions would extend beyond the region.
Referring to developments since April 2025, the foreign minister said Pakistan had observed what it described as “abrupt variations” in the flow of the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, along with continued attempts by India to expand infrastructure capable of regulating the flow of the western rivers.
According to Dar, such actions undermine international norms, weaken trust between states and threaten the principles of inter-state cooperation.
Emphasising the significance of water security, he said the issue was not merely a legal dispute for Pakistan, as more than 250 million people depend on the uninterrupted flow of the three western rivers for agriculture, food security, energy generation and economic development.
“Protecting these waters is a matter of vital national interest.”
Dar urged India to avoid measures that could escalate tensions, saying it should refrain from “sowing the seeds of war” and risking the peace and stability of more than two billion people in the region.
He said sustainable peace could only be achieved through dialogue, diplomacy and the dispute-resolution mechanisms provided under the treaty, rather than coercion or the threat of force.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful engagement, Dar said the country would continue to uphold international law but stressed that lasting peace required mutual respect, sovereign equality and adherence to international commitments.
He reiterated that Pakistan would firmly oppose any attempt to deprive it of its legal water rights.
The foreign minister said Pakistan did not seek confrontation but would not accept any unlawful diversion of or interference with its allocated share of water. He added that the government would continue to pursue all available legal and diplomatic avenues under international law to safeguard the country’s interests.
“We respect international law and treaties.”
Recalling India’s suspension of the treaty, Dar said Pakistan’s National Security Committee had unanimously declared that any attempt to divert, stop or reduce Pakistan’s legal share of water would be considered “an act of war”.
He said the decision reflected a unified national position and reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to defend its water rights.
Dar also highlighted Pakistan’s broader efforts to promote regional peace, noting that the country had supported initiatives aimed at reducing tensions during the recent US-Iran conflict.
“In a recent Oslo forum, a US envoy called Pakistan the net security provider in the region,” he noted.
He said Pakistan’s foreign policy remained rooted in mutual respect, sovereign equality and peaceful relations with all countries, while also reminding that the United Nations Security Council had a responsibility to maintain international peace and security.
Concluding his address, Dar said Pakistan would continue pursuing peaceful, legal and diplomatic means to protect its rights and interests.
“Shared waters must never be weaponised.”
