Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik said on Tuesday that 6,000 Pakistanis had died and thousands more had been injured as a result of what he described as India's water aggression.
Addressing an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad, Malik said Pakistan had faced devastating floods, adding that the issue was not merely one of climate change but one of justice.
He said agriculture remained the main source of livelihood for a large section of Pakistan's population and depended on water. He added that the real issue was the control of water and its use as a weapon rather than either shortages or excessive flows.
Malik said Pakistan had made it clear that it would not compromise on its share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty. He described the treaty as one of the strongest international agreements, noting that it had remained in force despite three wars between the two neighbouring countries.
No nation should hold peace hostage over water, says Malik
He said no country should be allowed to hold regional or global peace hostage. He added that water shortages were forcing farmers to abandon agriculture and that the impact was being felt not only in Pakistan but also in Bangladesh.
Referring to rivers including the Nile and the Euphrates, Malik said similar water-related challenges were being witnessed across the world, including in Africa and Bangladesh.
He said that if the Indus Waters Treaty failed to survive, confidence in international agreements everywhere would be undermined.
Pakistan won't compromise on its share under Indus Waters Treaty
Malik said India not only controlled the flow of Pakistan's water but was also the world's third-largest polluting country. He repeated that 6,000 Pakistanis had died and thousands more had been injured because of India's actions, adding that such a death toll was not seen even in many wars.
He said water levels at Marala Headworks fluctuated sharply, with very low flows one day followed by flood conditions originating from India the next.
Malik said Pakistan had approached the international court of arbitration, which had already issued clear rulings. He said the court had ruled that no country could suspend or terminate the treaty unilaterally, divert water flows unilaterally or construct reservoirs on Pakistan's allocated waters.
He added that India had refused to accept the rulings of the international court of arbitration. Malik said that if the treaty failed, downstream countries around the world could face similar threats to their water rights.
Pakistan remains committed to safeguarding the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty and will respond effectively to any attempt to stop its water, the Information Minister said.
'India's unilateral suspension of treaty drew global criticism'
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Tuesday that India's unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty had drawn criticism at international forums and that Pakistan remained committed to protecting the treaty.
He said the agreement was established through mutual consent and any amendment could only be made through consensus.
Tarar said Pakistan would uphold the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty under all circumstances. He said India had suspended the treaty unilaterally and that the national leadership was determined to give an effective response if any attempt was made to stop Pakistan's water.
He said water should serve as a means of cooperation rather than conflict. Respect for international agreements, he said, formed the basis of trust between nations and contributed to global stability. Using water as a weapon, he added, was equivalent to undermining regional and international peace.
Tarar said Pakistan had repeatedly made clear that its people had a legitimate right to the waters of the River Indus. From Gilgit-Baltistan to Punjab and Sindh, he said, the river had sustained generations, while the Indus civilisation remained central to Pakistan's identity and heritage.
He said water was not merely a natural resource for Pakistan but a matter of life. The Indus river system had nourished one of the world's oldest civilisations, while Pakistan's history was inseparable from the history of the River Indus. Agriculture, he said, remained the backbone of the national economy and the river was its lifeline.
The minister said the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty held a unique place in international relations. More than six decades ago, he said, two countries reached an extraordinary agreement that became one of the world's most durable water-sharing treaties. Pakistan, he added, had consistently demonstrated its commitment to peaceful relations, constructive dialogue and sincere implementation of the agreement.
India’s Indus Waters Treaty suspension has no legal standing
Meanwhile, Khurram Dastgir said India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty has no legal standing and accused New Delhi of using water as a weapon against Pakistan. Khurram Dastgir Khan said he had come to speak in support of the world's living rivers.
He said India had violated international law and attempted to choke the rivers, adding that his position was that India had used water as a weapon.
Dastgir said India last year unilaterally announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, adding that the Indus Waters Treaty contained exceptional strength and resilience.
He said attempts had been made to suspend the treaty, adding that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty had no legal standing.
Dastgir said the treaty contained no provision allowing unilateral suspension, adding that the matter had gone beyond the attempted suspension of the treaty, with open threats also being made.
He said an Indian minister stated that every effort would be made to ensure that not a single drop of water from the River Indus reached Pakistan.
Dastgir said Indian Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the Indus Waters Treaty would never be restored.
He said the statements by Indian ministers reflected the same position first presented by Narendra Modi in 2016 and repeated on several occasions.
Dastgir added the threats from India had not been made only once but had been repeated repeatedly.
He maintained that it was essential to examine India's statements and position on the basis of facts.
