Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday warned that any attempt by India to block water flow into Pakistan would violate the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and be met with a “decisive response.”
Speaking at an event in Islamabad, Sharif declared, “The enemy can’t snatch even a single drop of water from Pakistan. If you attempt such a move, Pakistan will teach you a lesson you will never forget.” He stressed that water was a lifeline for Pakistan and that the country would not compromise on its rights under international agreements.
India placed the IWT in abeyance earlier this year after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, which killed 26 people, citing its sovereign right to act under international law until Pakistan permanently renounces support for cross-border terrorism.
Signed in 1960 after nine years of negotiations facilitated by the World Bank, the IWT is considered one of the most successful international water-sharing agreements. It allocates the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—to Pakistan, and the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—to India, while granting limited usage rights to each side over the other’s allocated rivers.
The treaty, which gives Pakistan access to 80% of the Indus River System’s water, has survived wars and repeated tensions, but critics in India have long argued it is overly generous to Islamabad despite its continued backing of terrorism. The IWT also came under scrutiny after the 2019 Pulwama attack.
