Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed concern over recent Indian reservoir expansions and water diversion projects on the Indus river system, warning that such measures could alter natural river flows, promote “hydro-hegemony” and pose serious risks to regional stability and water security.
Addressing a conference on transboundary water resources in Brussels on Thursday, Dar said Pakistan’s concerns were not solely based on Indian statements but also on actions taken along the Indus river system.
“It is important to emphasize that our concerns are not based only on Indian statements,” said DPM Dar. He added that India had been pursuing projects including reservoirs, expansion of existing structures and diversion schemes on the Indus, Chenab and Ravi rivers.
“In all, at least 17 such projects will drastically change the river system as a whole, giving India the tools for ‘hydro-hegemony’ it so desires,” he added.
Pakistan has previously said it would consider any attempt to alter the flow of transboundary waterways an “act of war” and says the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) remains in force as there is no mechanism to unilaterally withdraw from it.
The treaty regulates the use of water from six rivers whose headwaters originate in India but flow into Pakistan as part of the Indus basin – a resource relied on by hundreds of millions.
India said in May 2025 that it was suspending its IWT membership after accusing Islamabad of supporting a deadly attack on tourists in India’s illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) – charges Pakistan categorically denied.
Addressing the seminar earlier in the day, the Deputy Prime Minister further said that Pakistan remained committed to the principles of the UN Charter and international law, noting that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960, had provided a framework for the exploitation of the six rivers of the Indus River system and had survived several conflicts over the decade.
He said Pakistan had previously raised concerns through international mechanisms and respected decisions even when they did not fully meet its expectations. However, DPM Dar emphasized that “responsible states act within established legal frameworks rather than abandoning them.”
The Deputy Prime Minister described rivers as “lifelines” that have historical, cultural and economic significance. He warned that any attempt to deprive the population of access to water could have serious consequences.
“Water must never be seen as an instrument of coercion,” he said, adding that the future of transboundary water management should be based on cooperation and respect for international law.
He also said the issue extended beyond South Asia, arguing that respect for treaty obligations was a global necessity and crucial to regional stability and prosperity.
Dar, who reaffirmed Pakistan’s position, said the country remained committed to resolving disputes through dialogue, diplomacy and international legal mechanisms. “Lasting solutions can only emerge through cooperation and respect for mutually agreed obligations,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister further noted that Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, remained among the countries most vulnerable to climate change and called for greater international cooperation on water-related challenges.
