KARACHI: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Thursday said that India was laying the ground for the first nuclear war over water with its actions regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.
Pakistan has launched a broad-based engagement campaign in the United States to present its perspective on the recent spike in tensions with India, and counter New Delhi’s growing lobbying presence there. As part of its global outreach, the team will also visit London and Brussels.
The delegation comprises former foreign ministers Bilawal, Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir; Senators Sherry Rehman, Musadik Malik, Faisal Sabzwari and Bushra Anjum Butt; along with senior envoys Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua.
Addressing the Middle East Institute in Washington, Bilawal said: “In the age of climate challenges that are to come, water scarcity and water wars used to be a theory. India shutting off Pakistan’s water supply is laying the foundations for the first nuclear water war. We have said that cutting off our water supply would be an act of war.
“We don’t say it in a jingoistic manner. We don’t say it with any relish. It is an existential crisis for us. Any country on the planet, no matter their size, their strength or their ability, would fight for their survival and fight for their water.”
Bilawal said India must abide by the IWT and the US and other countries must take a firm stance to not allow it to violate the treaty.
“You cannot allow this precedent to be set in the Pakistan context, because we’ll fight the first war, but it won’t be the last. If India is allowed to cut off our water, that means that every upper riparian with hostilities to a lower riparian now has a carte blanche.
“And if our dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of peace are to be successful, if we are to talk to India, have a positive dialogue with India, make new arrangements, new deals, perhaps even new treaties with India, then surely they first must abide by the old treaties and take back their decision vis-a-vis the IWT.”
He said Pakistan wanted to pursue peace for the benefit of both countries. Bilawal criticised the Indian government, saying it had refused cooperation on terrorism, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for cooperation on investigating the Pahalgam attack, US President Donald Trump’s mediation in the current dispute and more dialogue.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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