Pakistan Warns Ending Indus Waters Treaty by India Would Be Act of War

Pakistan has issued a stern warning to India, declaring that any move to unilaterally revoke or suspend the Indus Waters Treaty would be viewed as an act of war.

The warning came during a high-level security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad. The meeting included Pakistan’s military leadership and top government officials, as tensions with India over water sharing continue to escalate.

A statement released after the meeting said the Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, is a binding international agreement, and any attempt by India to violate it would have “grave consequences for regional peace and stability.”

“Pakistan will not allow its water rights to be compromised,” the statement said, emphasizing that the country reserves the right to respond to any such Indian action “with full force.”

The treaty regulates the use of water from six rivers that flow from India into Pakistan. While disputes have occasionally arisen, the treaty has largely survived multiple conflicts between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

Recent comments by Indian officials suggesting a possible review or withdrawal from the treaty have alarmed Islamabad, which relies heavily on the rivers for agriculture and drinking water.

Pakistan has called on international guarantors, including the World Bank, to ensure India honors its treaty obligations and to prevent a potential crisis in South Asia.

The Prime Minister’s Office released photographs of the closed-door meeting, signaling the seriousness with which the government is treating the matter.

No official response has been issued yet by India regarding Pakistan’s warning.