ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Friday warned that India’s attempts to weaponize water resources pose a serious threat to peace and stability in South Asia and directly endanger Pakistan’s food security.
Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Dar said India had repeatedly sought to undermine the Indus Waters Treaty through what he described as a systematic and deliberate approach. He stressed that water was a vital lifeline for Pakistan’s agriculture-based economy and that any disruption carried far-reaching consequences beyond bilateral relations.
Referring to recent developments, the foreign minister said Pakistan had witnessed India’s unilateral decision in April this year to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. He added that the situation had since escalated into what he termed material breaches of the treaty.
“What we are witnessing now are material violations by India that strike at the very heart of the Indus Waters Treaty, with escalating consequences for regional stability as well as for the sanctity of international law,” Dar said.
He noted that such actions undermined one of the most enduring and internationally recognised water-sharing agreements in the world, warning that continued disregard for treaty obligations could set a dangerous precedent with implications beyond South Asia.
Dar also referred to a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday, confirming that Pakistan had formally sought clarification from India through a letter regarding a sudden variation in the water flow of the Chenab River. He said the move reflected Pakistan’s serious concern over unilateral actions affecting shared water resources.
The foreign minister reiterated that Pakistan remained committed to the Indus Waters Treaty and to resolving disputes through established mechanisms. However, he cautioned that any attempt to use water as a political or strategic tool threatened regional peace and could have severe humanitarian and economic consequences for millions of people dependent on the river system.
