Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has expressed concern over recent Indian reservoir expansion and water diversion projects in the Indus River system, warning that such measures could disrupt natural river flows, foster “hydrohegemony” and pose serious risks to regional stability and water security.
At a conference on transboundary water resources held in Brussels on Thursday, Dar said Pakistan’s concerns are not based solely on India’s statements but also on actions taken in the Indus River system.
“It is important to underline that our concerns are not simply based on Indian statements,” Foreign Minister Dar said. He added that India had carried out projects including dams, expansion of existing structures and diversion plans on the Indus, Chenab and Ravi rivers.
“In total, at least 17 such projects will dramatically alter the river system as a whole, giving India the tools for the ‘hydrohegemony’ it so desires,” he added.
Pakistan has previously said it would consider any attempt to change the flow of cross-border waterways as an “act of war” and says the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains in force as there is no mechanism to unilaterally withdraw from it.
The treaty governs the use of water from six rivers, whose headwaters originate in India but flow into Pakistan as part of the Indus Basin, a resource on which hundreds of millions depend.
India said in May 2025 that it suspended its membership in the IWT after accusing Islamabad of backing a deadly attack on tourists in India’s Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), allegations Pakistan categorically denied.
Addressing the seminar later in the day, the Deputy Prime Minister further said that Pakistan remained committed to the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, noting that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) signed in 1960 had provided a framework for the utilization of the six rivers of the Indus River system and had survived multiple conflicts over decades.
He said Pakistan had earlier expressed its concerns through international mechanisms and had respected decisions even when they did not fully meet its expectations. However, Foreign Minister Dar stressed that “responsible states act within established legal frameworks rather than abandoning them.”
The deputy prime minister described rivers as “lifesavers” that have historical, cultural and economic importance. He warned that any attempt to deprive populations of access to water could have serious consequences.
“Water should never be seen as an instrument of coercion,” he said, adding that the future of transboundary water governance must be based on cooperation and respect for international law.
He also said the issue extended beyond South Asia, arguing that respect for treaty obligations was a global imperative and essential for regional stability and prosperity.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s position, Dar said the country remained committed to resolving disputes through dialogue, diplomacy and international legal mechanisms. “Durable solutions can only emerge through cooperation and respect for mutually agreed obligations,” he said.
The deputy prime minister further noted that Pakistan, despite contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, remained among the most vulnerable countries to climate change and called for greater international cooperation on water-related challenges.
