Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Ishaq Dar has urged India to “live as good neighbours” and resolve all issues through dialogue and diplomacy, stating that “it takes two to tango”.
Addressing an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in Islamabad on Tuesday, DPM Dar warned India against violating the IWT and said the cost of sabotaging an international agreement on rivers could be very high.
He said the consequences of violating international law and agreements are not limited to just two countries.
“Such actions set a dangerous precedent in international relations,” Dar said, adding that the violation of agreements tarnishes the reputation of states.
Addressing the seminar, Dar said India kept the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan on hold following the killing of 26 people in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025. New Delhi accused Islamabad of orchestrating the deadly militant attack, a claim Pakistan denied.
He said that long-term peace is only possible through mutual respect and state sovereignty. “If Pakistan is deprived of its water rights, it will have serious consequences”, warned DPM Dar.
Recalling earlier attempts to resolve issues with India through dialogue, the DPM said, “We are in all sincerity ready to talk on all issues, but we encourage composite dialogue, but it takes two to tango.”
Dar lamented that India had become so “narrow-minded that even sports are now subject to this Hindutva philosophy”.
“Look at the recent elections in Bihar; what happened there [that] 40 million people were disenfranchised and they were disenfranchised, it’s their internal matter, but I think the world community needs to take notice,” he added.
Earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned that Pakistan’s leadership is ready and to give an effective response if any attempt is made to stop the country’s water and reaffirmed that Islamabad will protect the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty at all costs.
Addressing the seminar on the IWT, Tarar said Pakistan remained committed to ensuring that the treaty remained intact and stressed that the use of water as a weapon is tantamount to undermining regional and global peace and stability.
The minister said that the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 has a unique place in international relations and remains one of the world’s most enduring water-sharing agreements.
“We are discussing not just a treaty but the lifeline of 240 million people,” Tarar said, adding that water is not just a natural resource for Pakistan but a matter of national survival.
He said Pakistan has consistently maintained that its people have a legitimate and complete right over the waters of the Indus River and warned that any attempt to stop or divert Pakistan’s water would receive an effective response from the country’s leadership.
He added that Pakistan’s history is inextricably linked with the Indus River and that agriculture, the backbone of the national economy, depends on its waters.
The minister said that Pakistan has always shown its commitment to peaceful relations, constructive dialogue and sincere implementation of international agreements. He noted that the Indus Waters Treaty was established more than six decades ago through mutual consent between two countries.
He emphasized that any amendment to the treaty could be done only through mutual agreement, adding that the unilateral suspension of the treaty had embarrassed India in international fora.
India diverts Chenab water
Pakistan’s Commissioner for the Indus Waters Treaty, Syed Mehr Ali Shah, said India has not complied with the treaty since August 2023, adding that a letter was sent to India just a day earlier requesting data sharing under the agreement.
Addressing a seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty, the commissioner said India’s unilateral suspension of the treaty was completely illegal and a clear violation of the agreement. He said India was diverting the water of the Chenab River, a move that would affect the flow of 1.9 million liters of water.
He said that according to the Indus Waters Treaty, India cannot divert the Chenab water to the Beas River and that the construction of the Chenab-Beas link by India was completely illegal. He added that under the treaty, India was bound to allow Pakistan to inspect the compound.
‘India’s attempt to stop Pakistan’s water violates international law’
A Russian expert, Dr. Roxolana Zigon, said that India’s declaration to deny Pakistan water violates international law for years to come, is in violation of international law, adding that the treaty forms the basis for equitable water sharing in the region and is globally regarded as one of the most successful agreements on water sharing.
She said the treaty had ensured water cooperation between Pakistan and India for more than six decades despite tensions between the two countries, adding that it does not contain any provision for unilateral withdrawal.
The expert said that more than 90% of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on river water, while 21 major hydropower projects are linked to the Indus river system. She added that almost the entire population of Pakistan is connected to the Indus basin in one way or the other.
Dr. Zigon said India’s construction of dams in upstream areas could increase instability in the region, accused New Delhi of trying to use water as a weapon and warned that its unilateral policies are eroding international trust.
The Russian expert described the Permanent Indus Commission as an important and effective mechanism for resolving disputes and stressed that the preservation of the Indus Water Treaty was essential for peace and stability in South Asia.
It should be noted here that based on baseless allegations, India started the war against Pakistan in May 2025, which was the fiercest fight that has taken place between the two neighboring countries in decades before a ceasefire was reached and brokered by the US.
During the 87-hour conflict, Pakistan shot down eight Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale, and dozens of drones.
Addressing the seminar, Lt (retd) Amir Riaz, former president of the National Defense University, said the Indus River system supplies water to the world’s largest irrigation network.
The river system supports Pakistan’s agricultural, economic and energy needs.
“The life, development and prosperity of Pakistan are linked to this system,” the retired general said, warning that attempts to capture the country’s share of the water are a serious threat to its national security.
