Pakistan warns India regarding the Indus Waters Treaty
Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadiq Malik issued a fresh warning to India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, saying: “It has already been announced that whoever touches our waters, their hands will be cut off.
His remarks come as New Delhi continues to keep the treaty on hold following the terrorist attack that took place in Pahalgam on April 22.The minister’s video, which was broadcast by Pakistan’s ARY news channel, was widely circulated on social media.Moreover, without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, Information Minister of the neighboring country Atalullah Tarar said: “There is a tap controlled by the Prime Minister of a neighboring country.
He says he will not allow even a drop of water to flow into Pakistan.”
He added that the treaty cannot be annulled by one country “unilaterally.”Last year, Prime Minister Modi declared that “terrorism and talks cannot go together; water and blood cannot flow together.”Defense Minister Rajnath Singh recently made it clear that India has no intention of softening its stance.“After the Pahalgam terror attack, by suspending the Indus Water Treaty, we said that those whose tears have dried should not expect water from us.
We will not allow the waters of the Indus River to reach the sponsors of terrorists and enemies of humanity.”Pakistan is facing a worsening water crisis hitting its major agricultural areas. Water shortages have become more severe across Sindh and parts of Balochistan, raising fears of what local officials and farmers have described as “economic carnage” as irrigation supplies dwindle.According to Dawn, the crisis is most evident around the Sukkur Dam – one of Pakistan’s largest irrigation centers on the Indus River – which supports millions of acres of farmland across Sindh and parts of Balochistan.
Canal water shortages have reached critical levels, with deficits reaching 64.1% in the North-West Canal, 38% in the Rice Canal, and 82% in the Dadu Canal, threatening crops, livelihoods and the regional economy.
The situation has been further exacerbated by allegations of excessive upstream withdrawals and unequal water distribution, with Sindh accusing Punjab of withdrawing more water than its allotted share while downstream areas continue to bear the brunt of the shortage.
