Deputy Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister 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, saying the cost of sabotaging an international agreement on rivers can be very high.
He said that the consequences of violating international law and agreements are not limited to just two countries.
“These actions set a dangerous precedent in international relations,” Dar said, adding that violation of agreements ruins the reputation of states.
Speaking at 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 charge Pakistan denied.
He said long-term peace is only possible through mutual respect and state sovereignty. “If Pakistan is deprived of its water rights, this will have serious consequences,” Minister Dar warned.
Recalling past attempts to resolve issues with India through dialogue, the DPM said: “We are, in all sincerity, ready to talk on all issues but we call for a composite dialogue but it takes two to tango.”
Dar lamented that India has 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 deprived of their rights and to vote, which is their internal matter, but I think the world community must take note of it,” he added.
Earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar warned that Pakistan’s leaders are ready and will give an effective response if attempts are made to stop the country’s water supply, reaffirming that Islamabad would safeguard the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty in all circumstances.
Addressing the seminar on IWT, Tarar said Pakistan remained committed to ensuring that the treaty remained intact, and emphasized that using water as a weapon amounts to undermining regional and global peace and stability.
The minister said the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 occupies a unique place in international relations and remains one of the longest lasting water sharing agreements in the world.
“We are not just discussing a treaty, but the livelihood 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 complete and legitimate right to the waters of the Indus River, warning that any attempt to stop or divert water from Pakistan would receive an effective response from the country’s leaders.
He added that Pakistan’s history is intrinsically linked to the Indus River and that agriculture, the backbone of the national economy, depends on its waters.
The minister said Pakistan has always demonstrated 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 stressed that any changes to the treaty could only be made through mutual agreement, adding that the unilateral suspension of the treaty had embarrassed India in international forums.
India diverts water from Chenab
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 a day earlier requesting to share data 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 waters from the Chenab River, a move that would affect the flow of 1.9 million gallons of water.
He said that as per the Indus Waters Treaty, India cannot divert Chenab waters to the Beas river, and India’s construction of the Chenab-Beas link was completely illegal. He added that under the treaty, India was obliged to allow Pakistan to inspect the link.
‘India’s attempt to stop water supplies to Pakistan violates international law’
A Russian expert, Dr Roxolana Zigon, said India’s statement on denying water to Pakistan violates international law for years to come, adding that the treaty forms the basis for equitable water sharing in the region and is globally considered one of the most successful water sharing agreements.
He 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 did not contain any provision for unilateral withdrawal.
The expert stated that more than 90% of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on river water, while 21 large hydroelectric projects are linked to the Indus River system. He added that almost the entire population of Pakistan is connected in one way or another to the Indus basin.
Dr Zigon said India’s construction of dams in upstream areas could increase instability in the region, accusing New Delhi of trying to use water as a weapon and warning that its unilateral policies were eroding international trust.
The Russian expert described the Permanent Indus Commission as an important and effective mechanism for resolving disputes and stressed that preserving the Indus Waters Treaty was essential for peace and stability in South Asia.
It may be noted here that based on unfounded allegations, India launched war against Pakistan in May 2025, which was the most intense fighting to have occurred between the two neighboring nations in decades, before the United States reached a ceasefire and mediated.
Pakistan, during the 87-hour conflict, shot down eight Indian fighter jets, including the French-made Rafale, and dozens of drones.
Speaking at the seminar, Lt Gen (retd) Amir Riaz, former president of the National Defense University, said the Indus River system provides water to the world’s largest irrigation network.
The river system supports Pakistan’s agricultural, economic and energy needs.
“Pakistan’s life, development and prosperity are linked to this system,” the retired general said, warning that attempts to seize the country’s share of water are a serious threat to its national security.
