ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said Pakistan would respond effectively if India attempted to stop the water flow, stressing that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains vital for regional peace and stability.
Addressing the inaugural session of an international seminar titled “Indus Waters Treaty: An Instrument of Peace and Regional Stability,” Tarar said the event was not merely about a treaty but about the lifeline of more than 240 million Pakistanis.
He said water was not just a resource for Pakistan but a matter of survival.
The minister emphasized that the Indus Waters Treaty was concluded through mutual agreement and could not be amended, revoked, suspended, or held in abeyance unilaterally. Any changes to the treaty, he said, could only be made with the consent of both parties.
Tarar said India’s attempt to unilaterally suspend the treaty had caused it embarrassment at various international and legal forums.
“The moral, legal and diplomatic foundations of any unilateral action are weak, and anything built on such weak foundations cannot endure,” he said.
Highlighting the growing impact of climate change, Tarar said protecting the treaty had become even more important as glaciers melt at unprecedented rates and water scarcity emerges as one of the world’s biggest challenges.
He warned that the weaponisation of water or unilateral attempts to alter long-standing agreements would undermine not only regional peace and stability but also the broader framework of international law.
The minister said Pakistan had consistently demonstrated its commitment to peaceful engagement, constructive dialogue and the faithful implementation of the treaty.
However, he warned that if India attempted to stop Pakistan’s share of water, the country’s leadership was fully prepared to respond effectively to safeguard the nation’s water rights.