Pakistan Says India is Sowing ‘Seeds of War’ Over Indus Water Treaty

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday warned India against undermining regional peace by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying any attempt to disrupt Pakistan’s water rights would amount to sowing the “seeds of war.”

Speaking at an international conference on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad, Dar said Pakistan considers the protection of its water resources a matter of national interest. The conference brought together international water and legal experts to discuss Pakistan’s rights under the treaty and the legality of India’s decision to place it in abeyance.

India announced in April 2025 that it was suspending the World Bank-brokered treaty following a deadly militant attack in Indian administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the allegation and maintains that the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally.

Dar said the Indus Waters Treaty remains legally binding and urged India to resolve disputes through dialogue, diplomacy, and the treaty’s established dispute resolution mechanisms. He also called on both countries to work toward lasting peace in South Asia.

Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik told the conference that accepting India’s position would weaken confidence in international agreements governing shared water resources. He called for an enforceable global framework with political, economic, and diplomatic consequences for countries that violate transboundary water agreements.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the treaty as a lifeline for Pakistan’s more than 240 million people, saying the Indus River is vital to the country’s agriculture, economy, and livelihoods. He warned that Pakistan’s leadership would respond effectively to any attempt to block the country’s water supply.