Pakistan slams India’s suspension of Indus Waters Treaty, calls it ‘cowardly and illegal’: Report

Pakistan has strongly criticized India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), with Power Minister Awais Leghari calling the move “cowardly” and accusing New Delhi of initiating “water warfare.”

As reported by Dawn, Leghari said India’s “reckless suspension” of the decades-old water-sharing agreement was “an act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move.” He further stated, “Every drop is ours by right, and we will defend it with full force — legally, politically, and globally.”

The reaction came hours after India announced on Wednesday that the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, would be held in abeyance with immediate effect. The Indian government said the decision would remain in place until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures” its support for cross-border terrorism.

The development follows a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday, in which 26 people, including several tourists, were killed.

Echoing Leghari’s remarks, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also condemned India’s move, describing it as “inappropriate.” Dar said, “There is no evidence … expressing their anger like this is inappropriate.”

The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty marks a significant escalation in tensions between the two countries, with Islamabad viewing the treaty as a critical lifeline for its water supply and a rare example of bilateral cooperation that has survived decades of conflict.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, former Pakistan minister Chaudhry Fawad Hussain issued a warning that Pakistan’s political factions would unite if "attacked or threatened" by India.

Hussain, a senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and close aide of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, took to X (formerly Twitter) to assert that political differences would be set aside in the face of external aggression. “Pakistan is politically divided, but we stand united as a nation. If attacked or threatened by India, all groups — PML-N, PPP, PTI, JUI, and others — will rally together under the Pakistani flag to defend our homeland,” he posted.

While Hussain did not refer to the Pahalgam killings in his statement, he appeared to be closely following the Indian government’s response to the incident. In a separate post on X, he commented on India’s internal security deliberations following the attack, urging caution.

“The Indian Cabinet has concluded its security meeting — let’s hope cool heads prevail and the authorities don’t risk millions of lives by giving in to media-fueled war jingoism,” he wrote.

His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the two countries following the terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir. India has blamed Pakistan-based elements for orchestrating the attack and has since suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, citing Islamabad’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.

While the Pakistani government has yet to officially respond to the Pahalgam massacre, reactions from political figures like Hussain indicate growing concern in Islamabad over the potential fallout from New Delhi’s response.

The Pahalgam attack took place in a area that has been a long-standing site of conflict between India and Pakistan for more than seven decades. The dispute over the region of Kashmir remains unresolved, with both nations laying claim to it and periodic clashes between the two nuclear-armed countries perpetuating instability in the area. Local militant groups in Kashmir have historically advocated for either independence or integration with Pakistan.

This attack is part of a larger trend of violence that has plagued the region in recent years. Since 2019, the Indian government has heightened its control over Jammu and Kashmir, bolstering its military presence and implementing stringent measures to combat militancy. Despite these efforts, attacks persist, with civilians and tourists often being the targets.