India ‘actively working’ to deprive Pakistan of water

Lead

Pakistan has issued a stark warning over India's actions on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), stating that any deliberate attempt to block water essential to Pakistan's survival and development would have "far-reaching consequences" and could amount to an "act of war" under Article 51 of the UN Charter. The warning came in response to recent remarks by Indian Water Minister CR Patil, who told India's ANI news agency that "not a single drop of water" would flow into Pakistan in the coming years.

The dispute has intensified since India suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty in May 2025, following an attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants—a charge Islamabad denied. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the sharing of water from six rivers in the Indus basin, a resource relied on by hundreds of millions of people. The nuclear-armed neighbours fought a brief conflict in May 2025, with missile and artillery exchanges, before a ceasefire was announced.

Coverage Comparison

Pakistan's concerns have been voiced at multiple levels. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, in a recorded keynote address at a seminar on transboundary water resources, warned of "at least 17" projects by India designed to drastically alter the Indus river system, giving India "tools for hydro-hegemony." The seminar, titled "Transboundary Water Resources: A Weaponised Global Common," was jointly organised by Pakistan's embassy in Brussels and the Centre for European Policy Studies. Dar's address was also played at a separate event, and his remarks were widely reported by Pakistani media, including Dawn.

In a separate development, Dar wrote a letter to the UN Security Council, delivered by Pakistan's Permanent Representative Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, drawing attention to India's "brazen violations" of the IWT. The letter, which was delivered to the UNSC president, Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres of Colombia, urged the council to take notice of two illegal Indian infrastructure projects linked to the Chenab River system aimed at water diversion. A similar letter had been sent in April, one year after India's decision to hold the treaty in abeyance.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi also addressed the issue at a weekly media briefing, stating that any attempt to block water vital to the livelihood, agriculture, and well-being of over 250 million Pakistanis would be a "deeply irresponsible act" and would violate international obligations concerning transboundary rivers. Andrabi added that Pakistan would "vigorously" defend its water rights using all available diplomatic, political, legal, and economic measures.

Key Claims

The central claim underlying Pakistan's alarm is that India has unilaterally suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty. This was reported by Al Jazeera, Dawn, and the South China Morning Post. According to these reports, India's suspension followed the Pahalgam attack in April 2025, which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan-based militants. Pakistan denied the allegations and offered to participate in an independent investigation.

Pakistan has stated that it considers any attempt to change the flow of cross-border waterways an "act of war," a position carried by Dawn. The statement was made by Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who said that any such attempt would be treated with utmost seriousness.

Indian Water Minister CR Patil's assertion that India is working to ensure "not a single drop of water" will flow into Pakistan was reported by Dawn. Patil, speaking in Hindi, said India was "actively working on it" after "directives" from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Experts quoted in the same report noted that India's existing dams do not have the capacity to block or divert water, and any project would take several years to have an impact.

A claim that the Permanent Court of Arbitration stated India could not unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance was carried by a single outlet, South China Morning Post, and not independently verified in the material. Similarly, the claim that India has at least 17 projects planned to alter the Indus river system was reported only by Dawn, sourced to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar's remarks.

Perspectives

Pakistan's perspective: Pakistan maintains that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force and that India's unilateral abeyance is illegal. Islamabad has called on the UN Security Council to hold India accountable for violations that threaten Pakistan's water, food, and economic security. Dar quoted former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, saying that shared waters can be a pathway to peace rather than a catalyst for war, and emphasized that water should never be used as a political tool.

India's perspective: Indian Water Minister CR Patil stated that India is working to ensure no water flows into Pakistan, following directives from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The statement was made in the context of India's suspension of the treaty, which New Delhi justified by accusing Pakistan of supporting the Pahalgam attack. India has not been reported as offering an alternative viewpoint in the material, but its actions—suspending the treaty and planning water-related projects—reflect its stance.