- FO calls India’s approach towards IWT as a ‘troubling departure from international norms’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Wednesday condemned Indian PM Narendra Modi’s statement delivered in Gujrat as “inflammatory and indicative of India’s continued reliance on historical revisionism, internal repression, and hostile rhetoric,” urging India to “return to the core principles of international order.”
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, the FO called India’s approach towards the Indus Water Treaty a “troubling departure from international norms,” drawing a contrast between Islamabad and New Delhi’s regional conduct and global ambitions.
“A leadership truly in pursuit of international respect might first look inward and seek to cleanse its conscience before issuing threats to others,” the statement read.
The FO called Modi’s remarks “unexpected” and urged India to set aside its project of “historical revisionism.”
The development follows the recent military confrontation between India and Pakistan after the former accused Islamabad of involvement in a deadly attack in Pahalgam, a tourist resort in the Indian-occupied Kashmir, without evidence and announced a slew of provocative moves, including the suspension of the decades-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi intensified the confrontation into a military one by launching a series of air strikes in Pakistan, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets. After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached.
In a video posted by Indian news outlet ANI, Modi, addressing India’s youth, calls into question the contents of the Indus Waters Treaty. He said, “If you study the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, you’ll be shocked.”
#WATCH | Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says “I want to tell the new generation how our country was ruined. If you study the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, you’ll be shocked. It was decided that the dams built on the rivers of Jammu and Kashmir would not be cleaned.… pic.twitter.com/eoNwEB6dtL
— ANI (@ANI) May 27, 2025
He continued, “It was decided that the dams built on the rivers of Jammu and Kashmir would not be cleaned… For 60 years, these gates were never opened. Reservoirs that were supposed to be filled to 100 percent capacity have now been reduced to only 2pc or 3pc.”
Stating that the treaty has only been held in abeyance as of now, he added, “Right now, I haven’t done anything, and people are sweating there in Pakistan.”
The FO spokesperson urged India to return to the core principles of international order, including “respect for sovereign rights of others and its treaty obligations, as well as restraint in both language and action.”
🔊PR NO.1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣5️⃣
Statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Recent Remarks by the Prime Minister of India. pic.twitter.com/csrvgNHLZc
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 26, 2025
The FO in its statement, cautioned that “Jingoism may stir applause on the campaign trail, but it undermines long-term peace and stability.” It continued that “India’s youth, often the first casualty of chauvinistic nationalism, would do well to reject the politics of fear and instead work toward a future defined by dignity, reason, and regional cooperation.”
The statement read that such acts may serve domestic optics but cannot withstand international scrutiny or inspire India’s image as a responsible regional power, while highlighting that “the ideological followers of India’s current government have normalized mob violence, promoted hate campaigns, and targeted religious minorities.”
The FO statement added that while aggressive speeches may resonate politically at home, they risk undermining regional stability.
“The Indian government is linked to extraterritorial assassinations and foreign subversion.
India is in occupation of foreign people and territories. Its record in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir is defined by systematic repression. It is ironic that such a state now attempts to claim the mantle of victimhood.”
In its concluding remarks, the Foreign Office called on India’s youth to reject hatred and embrace a future rooted in dignity and cooperation.
