ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman has strongly condemned India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), declaring it not only illegal under international law but also a violation of humanitarian and climate justice principles.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, the senior lawmaker said India’s move to unilaterally suspend the treaty—signed in 1960 to govern the distribution of water from the Indus River system—was tantamount to an act of war and must be challenged at all relevant diplomatic and legal forums.
“What India is doing today could happen to them tomorrow,” she warned, adding that Pakistan must continue highlighting the Kashmir dispute as a central issue affecting regional peace. “Even US President Donald Trump has said that unresolved Kashmir will continue to destabilise South Asia,” she recalled.
Sherry Rehman also criticised India for closing the Kartarpur Corridor, thereby denying Sikh pilgrims access to one of their holiest sites. “Using religious corridors as leverage in conflict is unacceptable. Diplomacy must prevail,” she urged, calling for third-party arbitration to help resolve outstanding issues.
The senator praised Pakistani media for its “mature and responsible” reporting during the recent escalation, contrasting it with what she described as sensationalist coverage by Indian outlets. “While Indian media ran a Bollywood-style narrative detached from reality, Pakistan’s credibility was strengthened in the eyes of the world,” she remarked.
Rehman said that the war narrative was imposed on Pakistan and that the country responded decisively without seeking confrontation. “We don’t glamorise war. Civilians suffer the most. But we defended our sovereignty within hours,” she stated.
Referring to the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that triggered the recent crisis, she said: “India used an uninvestigated terror incident as a pretext for war. That cannot be equated with a justified response. In this case, the terrorist is India.”
She asserted that Pakistan successfully defended its red lines and that New Delhi’s aggression had backfired both politically and diplomatically.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, gives India rights over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—while Pakistan retains control of the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. India’s decision to suspend the treaty following the April 22 Pahalgam attack has alarmed water and security experts in Pakistan.
Former WAPDA member (water), Jawaid Latif, urged the government to take up the matter with US mediators, who helped facilitate the recent ceasefire. “The Indian move is illegal and must be reversed. This is the right moment to press the issue diplomatically,” he advised in comments to local media.
Latif speculated that India may quietly withdraw its suspension during US-brokered talks to avoid international scrutiny or domestic political backlash. “It’s likely that they will not make a public reversal to save face, but Pakistan must ensure the treaty is restored,” he said.
The IWT has long been seen as a rare success in Pakistan-India relations, surviving multiple wars. However, experts now warn that tampering with such foundational agreements could have severe humanitarian and environmental consequences, especially in a region already vulnerable to climate stress.
