'Profound consequences': Pakistan warns India against weaponizing Indus Waters Treaty

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar issued a stern warning on Friday, stating that any move to deprive Pakistan of waters rightfully allocated under the Indus Waters Treaty would lead to "profound consequences for regional peace and security."

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profound consequences for regional peace and security

The treaty, a cornerstone of water management in South Asia since its signing in 1960, has come under significant strain. India's announcement in 2025 to place its treaty obligations "in abeyance" followed an attack in occupied Kashmir's Pahalgam, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without providing evidence. Pakistan has strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral investigation.

Speaking at a Washington seminar, Dar emphasized that Pakistan would vigorously defend its "legitimate rights and interests" under the treaty and international law. He asserted that the 1960 agreement remains "valid, binding and fully operative," despite India's unilateral decision. Dar pointed out that the treaty contains no provision allowing either party to suspend it, and that "unilateral political declarations" cannot extinguish obligations undertaken under international law.

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The treaty contains no provision permitting either party to unilaterally suspend or place it in abeyance.

The Foreign Minister argued that the issue transcends the bilateral relationship, touching upon the "sanctity of treaties" and confidence in international law. He cautioned that if treaty obligations can be disregarded due to deteriorating political relations, the fundamental purpose of treaties is undermined. Dar highlighted that geography necessitates cooperation, as "states cannot alter the direction in which rivers flow," underscoring the importance of rules and treaty-based water governance.

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If solemn treaty obligations can simply be set aside whenever political relations deteriorate, the very purpose of concluding the treaties is undermined.

Dar noted that the treaty has historically withstood wars, military crises, and political tensions for over six decades because both nations recognized the fundamental importance of water, on which "hundreds of millions of lives depend." He stated that this principle now faces its "gravest challenge." Pakistan maintains that treaty-based proceedings have continued despite India's assertion of "abeyance," reinforcing the principle that "unilateral action cannot displace an agreed legal framework." Pakistan has pursued arbitration over disputes concerning Indian hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers, with the Court of Arbitration at The Hague continuing proceedings.

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states cannot alter the direction in which rivers flow.