ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be altered, cancelled, revoked or placed in abeyance by one country acting alone, rejecting what he described as India’s attempt to use water as a weapon.
He made the remarks at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), where a special report titled “Weaponising Waters: Historical, Legal, and Strategic Dimensions of IWT Suspension” was launched. Tarar said Pakistan is committed to peace, but it will not let India turn water into a tool of pressure.
Court of Arbitration Backs Pakistan’s Position
According to Tarar, the Court of Arbitration has endorsed Pakistan’s stance and added weight to its argument that the treaty cannot be changed through unilateral action.
His comments come as the dispute over the Indus Waters Treaty continues. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has ruled that the agreement remains in force and has directed India to halt work on its hydropower projects.
Background to the Treaty Suspension
India placed the treaty in abeyance after 26 people were killed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025. New Delhi blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation Islamabad denied. Intense fighting between the two sides followed in May and ended with a ceasefire brokered by the United States.
Tarar said Pakistan has dealt with the matter through diplomacy, engaging the international community and presenting its case before the relevant forums.
Prime Minister’s Warning at the UN
The minister recalled that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, called the treaty the lifeblood of the people and the region. The prime minister also cautioned that any attempt to seize Pakistan’s water rights would be regarded as an act of war.
Tarar said Pakistan’s position is clear and has drawn support from several countries. He described the treaty as an instrument of peace and stability.
In his view, any effort to weaponise water or stir controversy around the agreement cannot be justified legally, diplomatically or morally.
Global Implications for Water Treaties
Tarar also urged the international community to consider the wider consequences of letting a state suspend a binding water treaty on its own, even though the agreement contains mechanisms for resolving disputes.
He warned that such a precedent could weaken transboundary water governance around the world and affect other nations that depend on shared-water agreements.
Tarar reiterated that Pakistan will continue its international outreach and defend its vital national interests in line with international law.