ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday declared that the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be amended, revoked, suspended or held in abeyance unilaterally, warning that any attempt to weaponise water would undermine international law and regional stability.
Addressing the inaugural session of an international seminar titled “Indus Waters Treaty: An Instrument of Peace and Regional Stability,” Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar said respect for international agreements was essential for maintaining peace and confidence among nations, stressing that treaties could only be altered through mutual consent.
He said Pakistan’s leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, had made it clear that the people of Pakistan had an inalienable right to the waters of the Indus River and that any unilateral attempt to alter the treaty was unacceptable.
Tarar said India’s move to place the treaty “in abeyance” had exposed it to international legal and diplomatic criticism, arguing that such actions lacked moral, legal and international legitimacy.
Warning against the weaponisation of water, the minister said blocking Pakistan’s water would not only threaten regional peace but also weaken the broader rules-based international order. He added that while Pakistan remained committed to peaceful dialogue and faithful implementation of the treaty, the country’s leadership was fully prepared to respond if any attempt was made to deprive Pakistan of its rightful share of water.
Calling water a matter of survival rather than merely a resource, Tarar said the Indus River sustained the lives and livelihoods of more than 240 million Pakistanis and remained central to the country’s identity, agriculture and economy.
He said the treaty, signed in 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, had survived wars and decades of political tensions, demonstrating that dialogue, cooperation and adherence to international commitments remained the only sustainable path to peace.
The minister also linked the treaty’s significance to the growing challenges of climate change and water scarcity, saying the need to preserve the agreement had become even more urgent as melting glaciers and changing weather patterns intensified pressure on regional water resources.
Highlighting the role of the media, Tarar urged responsible journalism to counter misinformation and propaganda, saying factual reporting could strengthen understanding and confidence-building.
He said Pakistan would continue pursuing the issue at international legal and diplomatic forums to safeguard its water rights and ensure that no country could unilaterally alter the treaty. He also commended the Institute of Regional Studies and its partner institutions for organising the international seminar.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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