On Saturday, Pakistan firmly condemned the comments of the Indian Interior Minister, Amit Shah, that the Treaty of the Water (IWT) with Pakistan “will never be restored”, which qualifies the declaration as a “discarded contempt for the holiness of international agreements.”
Respond to media consultations about Shah’s interview with The times of IndiaIn which he said that India would divert the water that flows to Pakistan for domestic use, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad said that comments constitute a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the treaty and the fundamental principles that govern interest relationships.
“The Treaty of the Water of the Indo is not a political agreement, but an international treaty without provision of unilateral actions,” said the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “The illegal announcement of India to keep the treaty in suspense constitutes a clear violation of international law, the provisions of the treaty itself and the fundamental principles that govern interest relationships.”
Read more: India rules out the restoration of the Indo Waters Treaty, promises to divert Pakistan water
The spokesman added that such conduct “establishes an imprudent and dangerous precedent” that undermines the credibility of international agreements and raises serious concerns about the reliability of India as a treaty partner.
“Building water for political purposes is irresponsible and contrary to the established norms of responsible state behavior,” the statement said, asking New Delhi to immediately terminate its unilateral position and resume the complete implementation of the treaty.
For his part, Pakistan reiterated his firm commitment to the Treaty of the Water of the Indo and promised to take all the necessary measures to protect his legitimate rights under the agreement.
Declaration of the spokesman with respect to the affirmation of the Interior Minister of India that the Treaty of Indo Aguas will never be restored.
Responding to the media consultations about the affirmation of the Minister of Interior of India that the Treaty of the Indo Aguas will never be restored, the spokesman of the … … pic.twitter.com/ndy9LFAKK
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeforeignEffick) June 21, 2025
Signed in 1960 with the World Bank as guarantor, the Indo Water Treaty governs the allocation and use of water from the Indo River system between the two countries.
The treaty guarantees Pakistan’s access to the three Western rivers: Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, which are crucial for irrigation and agriculture in the country. Despite wars and ongoing tensions, the treaty had largely resisted bilateral hostilities for more than six decades.
However, in April 2025, India announced that he was placing the “in suspense” treaty after a deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir (Iiojk) of illegally occupied, which blamed elements allegedly linked to Pakistan, without providing any evidence. Islamabad has categorically denied any participation in the incident.
Read too: Ready to force the IWT threat of India: PM
In Saturday’s interview, Shah said unequivocally: “No, it will never be restored. We will drink water that flows to Pakistan to Rajasthan building a channel. Pakistan will be hungry for water that has been becoming unjustifiably.”
Shah’s comments, seen as a hardening of India’s position, have mitigated the hopes of any short -term dialogue about the future of the treaty. Reuters recently reported that India plans to drastically increase the water that diverts from rivers that flow to Pakistan as part of what calls reprisal measures.
According to reports, Pakistan is exploring legal ways to challenge the movement of India under international law, and diplomatic efforts are ongoing to gather international support for preservation and application of the treaty.
The growing rhetoric on water occurs in the middle of fragile ties between neighbors with nuclear weapons, despite a high fire agreement earlier this year after one of the most serious outbreaks along the control line in recent decades.
What is the Treaty of the Water of the Indo?
The origins of the IWT date back to the partition of British India in August 1947, when India and Pakistan became two independent nations. Both countries, now at home of more than 1.6 billion people, have historically depended largely on rivers that flow from the Himalayas for irrigation and agriculture.
The Division of the Province of Punjab, which was developed widely under British domain with an integrated irrigation system, created an immediate need for an agreement on the equitable exchange of the river’s waters between India and Pakistan.
This was essential to avoid any future conflict over this vital resource, particularly since the new border separated the territories through which these rivers flowed.
After nine years of negotiations, facilitated by the World Bank, the IWT was signed in September 1960 by the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistani president Ayub Khan.
Read more: IWT’s unilateral suspension of India could destabilize regional peace: Bilawal
India received control over the three Eastern rivers, Dravi, Sutlej and Beas, while Pakistan was assigned control over the three Western rivers: Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. As part of the treaty, India is required to allow Western rivers to flow towards Pakistan, with only a few exceptions.
The treaty also allows India to develop hydroelectric projects in Western rivers, but these projects must meet strict conditions.
They must be “common” projects, which means that they cannot significantly alter the flow or storage of water, ensuring that Pakistan’s water rights such as the country’s face downstream are not negatively affected.
