ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan on Friday denounced India’s move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of international law and warning that any attempt to divert water flows would be treated as an “act of war.”
The escalating rhetoric marks a sharp deterioration in relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, coming days after a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 civilians dead — the worst such incident since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, said the 1960 treaty — brokered by the World Bank to govern water sharing in the Indus River basin — contains no clause allowing unilateral suspension.
“Water is a vital national interest of Pakistan — a lifeline for its 240 million people,” Khan said at a press briefing. “Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan will be considered an act of war and responded to with full force across the complete spectrum of national power.”
The Indus Waters Treaty, often held up as a rare example of India-Pakistan cooperation, allocates usage rights of six major rivers between the two countries. Islamabad has accused New Delhi of undermining the agreement in the past, but Friday’s remarks represent the strongest language to date.
In response to India’s decision, Khan announced a series of retaliatory measures:
Closure of the Wagah border crossing effective immediately.
Suspension of all SAARC visa exemptions for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh religious pilgrims.
Expulsion of Indian defense, naval, and air attachés from the Pakistani capital, requiring their departure by April 30.
Reduction of Indian diplomatic staff in Islamabad to 30.
Ban on Indian flights through Pakistani airspace.
Suspension of all bilateral trade, including third-country transit.
Khan emphasized that Pakistan’s National Security Committee had reviewed the situation and expressed confidence in the country’s military preparedness. “Pakistan and its armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said, referencing the country’s military response to a prior Indian airstrike in February 2019.
India has not yet formally responded to Pakistan’s latest declarations. However, tensions between the two countries have steadily worsened following the April 22 attack in Kashmir. Indian authorities have blamed Pakistan-based militants for the violence — an accusation Islamabad denies.
The latest developments mark a potentially destabilizing moment in South Asian geopolitics, as both countries navigate rising domestic political pressures and longstanding territorial disputes over Kashmir.
