Facing mounting pressure after India put the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, Pakistan has now attempted to globalise the issue by hosting an “international conference” on the decades-old water-sharing pact. At the event held on Tuesday, Pakistan’s top political leadership warned of serious consequences if the treaty weakens, highlighting the country’s growing concerns over water security, agriculture and energy. The development comes as New Delhi continues to maintain its firm position that “blood and water cannot flow together” until Islamabad takes credible and irreversible action against cross-border terrorism.
For Pakistan, the issue extends far beyond diplomacy. The country’s agriculture, hydropower generation and overall water management are heavily dependent on the Indus River System, making India’s decision one of the most significant strategic challenges Islamabad has faced in recent years.
Why is Pakistan raising the issue on the global stage?
Pakistan’s move to organise an international conference reflects its desperate efforts to build “international support” after India suspended the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty in the aftermath of the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack. The suspension has created fresh uncertainty for Pakistan, particularly because India has also stopped sharing crucial hydrological data under the treaty framework. Without timely information on river flows and water volumes, Islamabad faces greater difficulty in planning irrigation, reservoir management and power generation.
Why is the Indus Waters Treaty so crucial for Pakistan?
Pakistan’s dependence on the Indus River System makes the treaty central to its economy. A significant portion of the country’s agriculture relies on water from the Indus basin, while several hydropower projects also depend on a predictable flow of river water. The suspension of the treaty has therefore raised concerns in Islamabad over future water availability and planning.
The absence of hydrological information from India has added another layer of uncertainty, leaving Pakistani authorities without one of the key tools used for forecasting water availability and managing river resources.
What did Pakistan’s leaders say?
Addressing the conference, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar described the treaty as “not merely a water-sharing arrangement but a vital instrument of regional peace, stability, and cooperation”.
Former Foreign Minister and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also sought to project the treaty as critical to Pakistan’s future.ย He said the Indus Waters Treaty was “never a favour to Pakistan” and warned that “any attempt to undermine Pakistan’s water rights would receive a national response”.
Bilawal said, “If anyone believes that Pakistan will surrender Sindh, they do not know Pakistan. They do not know Sindh. They do not know Punjab. They do not know Balochistan. They do not know Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They do not know Kashmir or Gilgit-Baltistan. They do not know the people who have lived by these rivers for thousands and thousands of years. We want peace, but peace with dignity. We want dialogue, but dialogue under law. We want coexistence, but not submission. So from this seminar, from this city, from this moment let a message go forth. Pakistan will defend its water, its people, its treaty, its sovereignty and its future.”
Bilawal also alleged that “India had not honoured its commitments” and claimed that “using water resources as a weapon was dangerous”.ย He further asserted that “India must comply with the Indus Waters Treaty”, adding that “the waters of the River Indus were the guarantee of Pakistan’s survival”.ย Referring to Pakistan’s water challenges, Bilawal said sustainable peace could not be achieved without restoring the treaty.
Why has India put the treaty in abeyance?
India suspended the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam in April 2025.ย Since then, the Indian government has consistently maintained that “blood and water cannot flow together” and that normal implementation of the treaty cannot continue until Pakistan takes verifiable, visible and irreversible action against terror groups operating from its soil.ย New Delhi has repeatedly linked the future of the treaty to Pakistan’s commitment to ending cross-border terrorism.
How has India’s move increased pressure on Pakistan?
India’s decision has had strategic implications beyond diplomacy.ย Following the suspension of the treaty, the Indian government has accelerated work on hydropower and water infrastructure projects on the western rivers to maximise the utilisation of waters available under its control.
At the same time, the suspension of routine hydrological data sharing has made it more difficult for Pakistan to accurately assess water flows, creating additional challenges for irrigation planning and electricity generation.ย With Pakistan already facing water shortages in key agricultural regions such as Sindh and Balochistan, the uncertainty has added to Islamabad’s concerns.
What is the Indus Waters Treaty?
Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty governs the sharing of water from the Indus River System between India and Pakistan. For decades, it was regarded as one of the few agreements that continued to function despite repeated military conflicts and diplomatic tensions between the two countries.ย India’s decision to place the treaty in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack marks one of the most significant developments in the history of the agreement and has brought the issue back into global focus.
What happens next?
While Pakistan is seeking international attention through diplomatic outreach, India has shown no indication of changing its position.ย New Delhi continues to maintain that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan demonstrates concrete action against cross-border terrorism. With both sides holding firm to their positions, the future of the Indus Waters Treaty is likely to remain a major flashpoint in India-Pakistan relations.
ALSO READ:ย Pakistan cries ‘foul’: Shehbaz Sharif condemns India’s unilateral suspension of Indus Water Treaty at UNGA