| Suspension of Indus Water Treaty could lead to hunger, thirst in Pakistan, admits Minister | | Pahalgam Terror Attack Aftermath | | Early Times Report
Jammu, May 3: Despite projecting a tough stance, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday acknowledged that the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) could lead to widespread hunger and thirst in his country.
Speaking to a Pakistani news channel, Asif conceded the severe consequences of halting the water flow under the treaty. “Aggression is not limited to firing cannons or bullets,” he said. “Blocking or diverting water is also a form of aggression, which can result in death by hunger and thirst.”
“We (Pak) will not waste even a minute to strike if any structure is built to block water,” he declared, adding that any such move by India would be considered an act of war.
However, the minister hinted at a preference for diplomacy before escalation. “We will initially explore diplomatic and legal avenues, beginning with the provisions available under the Indus Water Treaty,” he said. “We are moving through all forums available to us to resolve this issue.”
Notably, India’s decision to suspend the IWT came in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 persons, mostly tourists dead.
The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the country’s highest decision-making body on national security, responded with tough measures, including the indefinite suspension of the decades-old Indus Water Treaty.
This move allows India to stop or divert the flow of water from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers—key water sources for Pakistan that support tens of millions of people.
The Indus Waters Treaty, signed on September 19, 1960, was brokered by the World Bank and has been one of the few sustained agreements between India and Pakistan. It withstood the tests of three wars—in 1965, 1971, and 1999—but is now effectively on hold.
Under the treaty, India has exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan has control over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
The treaty has long been hailed as a rare example of cooperation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. In 2019, following the Pulwama attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had remarked that “blood and water cannot flow together,” although the treaty was not suspended at that time.
More recently, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil stated that India would ensure "not a single drop of Indus water" flows to Pakistan, signaling a hardening of India's stance in light of continued hostilities. |
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