New Delhi/Sukkur, April 25: Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a sharp warning to India over its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.
“Whether water flows in this Indus or their blood—The Indus is ours and will remain ours,” said Zardari while addressing protestors in Sukkur, directly threatening India if the water flow is blocked.
The Indian government recently announced five punitive actions against Pakistan following the attack, which included:
- Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960.
- Closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari.
- Cancellation of SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme visas issued to Pakistani nationals.
- Reduction in Pakistani High Commission staff from 55 to 30 members.
- Other classified diplomatic downgrades.
India officially communicated the treaty suspension to Pakistan through a letter sent by Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee to her Pakistani counterpart. The letter cited Pakistan’s continued support of cross-border terrorism as a breach of treaty conditions.
In reaction, Pakistani power minister Awais Lekhari described India’s move as “water warfare” and labeled it “a cowardly, illegal act.”
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs water-sharing of the Indus River and its five tributaries between the two nations. It was signed after nearly a decade of negotiations.
This developing situation further strains India-Pakistan relations, as both nations engage in a growing war of words while the international community watches closely.
