Pakistan has again sought international intervention over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, with Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urging New Delhi to restore the agreement. Dar described the Indus river system as essential to Pakistan’s stability and said the lives of more than 25 crore people depend on it.
He made the remarks in the United States during a virtual seminar organised by the Pakistani embassy. Dar expressed concern over India’s decision in April 2025 and appealed both to India and the international community. Pakistan has argued that the treaty remains central to its water security and that the dispute could affect stability beyond the 2 countries.
Why Pakistan considers the Indus system vital
According to Dar, the Indus basin is not merely a source of water. He connected it directly with Pakistan’s agriculture, food security, electricity generation, livelihoods and economic growth. In his assessment, water security is therefore tied to economic security, food security and national security.
Dar also warned that tension over the river system could have consequences across South Asia. He said shared water resources should not become instruments of confrontation and argued that the river should remain a source of life and livelihoods for people in the region.
Pakistan’s appeal comes as the country faces wider water-related pressures. Dar said Pakistan is already among the countries facing the highest levels of water stress and that per-person water availability has fallen sharply over several decades.
He cited changing rainfall patterns, melting glaciers, destructive floods, prolonged droughts and increasing uncertainty in water flows as factors making the situation more difficult. Against that backdrop, he called for greater cooperation between India and Pakistan on water issues.
Pakistan asks for support, while issuing a warning
Dar said the international community should support efforts to address the dispute. He warned that any attempt to deny Pakistan the water rights it receives under the treaty could have serious consequences for regional peace and security.
The Pakistani foreign minister also called for dialogue and cooperation between the 2 countries. At the same time, his remarks included a warning about the possible consequences if the treaty is not restored. His position combined an appeal for outside intervention with a demand that the Indus issue not be used to deepen confrontation.
India links treaty implementation to terrorism
India suspended the treaty after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in April 2025. The attack killed 26 civilians. India attributed the incident to Pakistan-sponsored terrorism and said terrorism and normal relations could not continue together.
New Delhi has maintained that the Indus Waters Treaty will not be implemented normally until Pakistan takes concrete, verifiable and irreversible action against cross-border terrorist networks operating from its territory. India has also reiterated its position that “blood and water cannot flow together”.
That stance remains the central obstacle to Pakistan’s request for restoration. While Islamabad has highlighted the consequences for water security, agriculture, food supplies, power generation and the economy, India has tied any return to normal treaty implementation to its demands on terrorism.
The dispute therefore extends beyond the allocation of river water. Pakistan views the Indus system as the foundation of essential national sectors and has taken its case to the international community. India continues to treat the treaty’s status as part of its broader response to cross-border terrorism.
