Key Points
- Tarar says Pakistan will protect the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty by all means.
- The minister describes the Indus River as the lifeline of 240 million Pakistanis.
- Says treaty cannot be amended, suspended or held in abeyance unilaterally.
- Warns that weaponisation of water threatens regional peace and international law.
- Reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue but vows a firm response to any attempt to block its water.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to safeguard the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
He declared that the country would protect the water rights of its 240 million people through all available means and would not accept any unilateral attempt to suspend or alter the landmark agreement.
Addressing the opening session of an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad, Tarar described the Indus River System as Pakistan’s lifeline. “The country’s food security, agriculture and economic well-being are intrinsically linked to the uninterrupted flow of its waters,” he added.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that these waters remain a symbol of peace and shared prosperity for generations to come,” he said.
“Pakistan stood firm in protecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people dependent on the Indus basin,” he added.
The minister stressed that the Indus Waters Treaty could not be amended, revoked, suspended or held in abeyance by any one party alone. He argued that the agreement was concluded through mutual consent and could only be modified through the same process.
Referring to India’s decision to place the treaty in abeyance following heightened bilateral tensions, Tarar said the move lacked legal standing and had exposed New Delhi to criticism at various international legal and diplomatic forums.
He said the treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, had endured decades of conflict and political tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, underscoring its importance as one of the world’s most resilient transboundary water-sharing agreements.
Highlighting the growing pressures of climate change and increasing water scarcity across South Asia, Tarar warned against using water as a political or strategic tool.
He said any attempt to weaponise water or unilaterally alter long-established arrangements would undermine not only regional peace and stability but also the broader principles of international law governing shared water resources.
Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful engagement
The minister said Pakistan had consistently demonstrated its commitment to peaceful engagement, constructive dialogue and the faithful implementation of the treaty, despite persistent differences with India over various hydroelectric projects on the western rivers allocated to Pakistan under the agreement.
Reaffirming Islamabad’s preference for resolving disputes through established legal and treaty mechanisms, Tarar nevertheless warned that Pakistan’s leadership remained fully prepared to protect the country’s water rights.
“If any attempt is made to stop Pakistan’s water, our leadership stands resolved to respond effectively to restore the water for the people of Pakistan,” he said.
The seminar brought together government officials, legal experts, water specialists and academics to discuss the legal, technical and strategic dimensions of the Indus Waters Treaty amid renewed regional tensions and growing concerns over water security.
