Islamabad Warns Against 'Weaponising' Water As Indus Treaty Standoff Escalates

New Delhi: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ishaq Dar, has firmly asserted that the historic Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains "valid, binding and operative," escalating Islamabad's diplomatic pushback against New Delhi’s decision to freeze the decades-old agreement.

Addressing an international conference dedicated to the accord, Dar characterised the 1960 water-sharing pact as a cornerstone for regional peace. He issued a stern warning against the geopolitical manipulation of shared natural resources, stating that vital water systems must never be "weaponised" to settle political scores. Reinforcing Pakistan's legal stance, officials warned that any attempt to strip the nation of its designated water rights would severely jeopardise regional stability.

The diplomatic friction follows India’s dramatic move to suspend the landmark treaty in April 2025, a retaliation triggered by the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. New Delhi has adopted a hardline approach, maintaining the principle that "blood and water cannot flow together." Indian authorities have made it clear that the water-sharing agreement will remain held in abeyance until Islamabad demonstrates credible, verifiable, and irreversible action to dismantle cross-border terrorism networks operating from its soil.

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