'Every drop is ours': Pakistan calls Indus treaty suspension 'water warfare'

India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack has drawn sharp condemnation from Pakistan, which labelled the move “water warfare” and vowed to challenge it on legal and global platforms.

Calling the suspension an “illegal move,” Pakistan’s Energy Minister Awais Leghari tweeted, “India's reckless suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is an act of water warfare; a cowardly, illegal move. Every drop is ours by right, and we will defend it with full force – legally, politically, and globally.”

Leghari’s statement came shortly after Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) convened an emergency meeting to evaluate India’s post-attack measures. The meeting follows the terror strike in Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed, sparking international concern and a series of retaliatory moves by New Delhi.

The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack, intensifying diplomatic strain. India’s latest action on the Indus treaty is seen as a signal that it holds Pakistan accountable for backing terror proxies targeting Indian civilians and tourists.

Amid heightened tensions, reports have emerged of India canceling visas issued to Pakistani nationals and tightening cross-border access. In response, social media in Pakistan erupted with criticism, while several Pakistani citizens began returning home via the Attari border.