Experts highlight civilian damage in Indian missile attacks, call for compliance with international standards
Workers walk on a bridge near the newly inaugurated 450-megawatt hydroelectric project located at the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River that flows from Indian Kashmir into Pakistan, in Chanderkote, about 145 km (90 miles) north of Jammu, October 10, 2008. PHOTO: REUTERS
United Nations special rapporteurs and independent experts have criticized India’s military actions during the May conflict with Pakistan, saying New Delhi may have violated international law and raised the risk of a broader confrontation. The report also expressed concern over India’s announcement to keep the Indus Waters Treaty “on hold”.
The report, released on Friday, focuses on May 7, when Indian forces allegedly carried out attacks inside Pakistani territory. The U.N. experts said the unilateral use of force appeared to violate the U.N. Charter and noted that India had not formally notified the U.N. Security Council of its actions, which they said is required by international law.
The report states that the attacks caused harm to civilians and states that populated areas were hit, resulting in casualties and injuries, and that religious sites, including mosques, were damaged. While experts condemned the Pahalgam attack that preceded India’s response, they said there was insufficient evidence to support India’s allegations of Pakistani state involvement.
The legal assessment is unequivocal; International law provides “no separate, recognized right to use unilateral military force to combat terrorism,” the report states. It warns that such action could violate the right to life and increase the risk of a broader confrontation. The experts said that if India’s conduct amounts to an armed attack, Pakistan would retain the right to self-defense, and they characterized the attacks as a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
On the Indus Waters Treaty, the report says any obstruction or threat to river flows could affect the basic rights of millions of people in Pakistan, including access to water, food, livelihoods, health, environment and development.
Experts said interference with cross-border water flows should be avoided and water should not be used for political or economic leverage. They said the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally and remains in force unless both governments agree to end it through a new agreement.
Read: Pakistan accuses India of manipulating the flow of the Chenab River
The experts called India’s wording on the “suspended” treaty ambiguous and said New Delhi had not clearly invoked provisions for suspension under treaty law. The report qualifies any unilateral suspension as illegal because it circumvents established procedures.
The report says disputes should be handled through the treaty’s settlement mechanisms. He described India’s references to a “substantial violation” and alleged cross-border terrorism as legally weak grounds for the suspension, saying Pakistan had not been proven to have violated any clause of the treaty.
Experts said a fundamental change in circumstances requires a strict legal threshold and that population or energy demand alone do not meet it. They added that India had not presented evidence to justify the countermeasures and argued that restricting water flows or suspending the treaty would be a disproportionate step that would affect Pakistani civilians.
According to the report, the countermeasures do not eliminate human rights obligations and would require notification, negotiation and completion of legal measures. Experts said such measures are temporary and reversible and do not justify a permanent suspension or termination.
The experts blamed India for the deterioration of the treaty commitment, noting that annual meetings of the Indus Commission have not been held since 2022 and citing obstacles in data sharing and disagreements over settlement clauses as contrary to the treaty’s intent.
Read more: Pak rejects India’s criticism of constitutional adjustments
In a statement released by the President’s Secretariat, President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the report and said it “reinforces Pakistan’s long-standing position that the unilateral use of force across international borders constitutes a violation of the United Nations Charter and a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.”
Addressing the report’s assessment of violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, the President said that overlooking agreed dispute resolution mechanisms and actions affecting water flows violated Pakistan’s rights and risked creating serious human rights consequences.
Zardari expressed concern that the report clearly demonstrated irresponsible state behavior in India. “India has long locked out its minorities and ignored its commitments to international forums like the United Nations, but this pattern of dishonest behavior cannot continue indefinitely,” he said, emphasizing that such conduct cannot be allowed to persist.
Addressing foreign diplomats on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar stated that in April 2025, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Water Treaty and withheld essential data and information that Pakistan is entitled to under the agreement.
According to Dar, the UN special rapporteurs in the report have confirmed Pakistan’s position on the treaty, emphasizing that the Indus Waters Treaty is a cornerstone of peace and stability in South Asia, and any attempt to weaken it could destabilize the entire region.
It further informed that unusual fluctuations in the flow of the Chenab river were recorded twice this year, from April 20 to May 21 and from December 7 to 15, and that India released water into the Chenab without warning, exposing Pakistan to risks of floods and droughts.
Dar has said these actions violate international law and Article 26 of the Vienna Convention, and accused India of systematically trying to undermine the treaty. It was also highlighted that projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle were incompatible with the technical provisions of the treaty.
There may be conflicts in the timeline
In Pahalgam, Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, five militants killed 26 civilian tourists on April 22, 2025. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, leading to a sharp escalation in diplomatic and military tensions. The next day, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Attari-Wagah border, expelled Pakistani military diplomats, reduced Pakistan’s diplomatic staff, and canceled SAARC visas for Pakistani citizens. Border skirmishes were repeatedly reported between 23 and 30 April.
In response, Pakistan took countermeasures by canceling Indian visas, evacuating Indian citizens, closing its airspace to Indian aircraft, and halting trade. Pakistani officials also warned India against diverting water from the Indus River, describing such actions as potentially an act of war. Tensions continued to rise as India initiated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and its airspace restrictions affected Pakistani flights in late April.
The escalation persisted until early May, and both countries prepared militarily. On May 4, India stopped the downward flow of the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River, while Pakistan shot down 29 Indian drones near the Line of Control and inside Punjab on May 6.
Military operations (May 7-11)
India launched “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, carrying out missile strikes on multiple sites in Punjab and Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, Gulpur, Bhimber, Chak Amru, Bagh, Kotli, Sialkot and Muzaffarabad. Three days later, on May 10, the Indian Air Force attacked eight major Pakistani air bases, including the Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi. Pakistan retaliated earlier in the day with Operation “Bunyan-un-Marsoos,” attacking 26 military sites in India and Indian-administered Kashmir using missiles and drones. A second wave of attacks included swarms of drones, loitering munitions and Fatah missiles, targeting 26 locations along India’s western border.
The conflict subsided after the mediation of former US President Donald Trump, who announced a ceasefire on May 10 through X. Pakistan claimed victory after the May 11 ceasefire.
