ISLAMABAD, Dec 19: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday accused India of repeatedly undermining the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), claiming recent actions constitute serious breaches that threaten the core of the pact.
Speaking to the media, Dar referred to April 2025, when India allegedly unilaterally put aspects of the treaty in abeyance, and said current violations could have escalating consequences for regional stability and international law.
“The manipulation of the Indus basin by India during critical agricultural periods directly endangers the lives and livelihoods of our citizens,” Dar said. He added that India has stopped sharing hydrological data, information, and joint oversight required under the treaty, leaving Pakistan vulnerable to floods and droughts.
Dar also noted that Pakistan’s Indus Commissioner had formally written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on the variations in the Chenab river’s flow.
He warned that any suspension of water under the treaty could be interpreted as an act of war, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, regulates the use and distribution of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan.
