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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) regarding the shared waters of the Indus River and the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). Sharif told the Assembly that any attempt by India to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters “will be treated as an act of war”.
The Pakistan Premier, in the 81st session of the Assembly, expressed that the shared waters of the Indus River system were the “lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan, but for the entire region”. He further stated that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance had “no legal basis whatsoever”.
Sharif, pointing to the recent PCA orders, held that India’s claims had been rejected by UN experts and the Court of Arbitration and held that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance has no legal basis. He said:
In April 2025, following a tragic militant attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, the Indian government responded by temporarily suspending the IWT. India stated that the Treaty would remain in abeyance till Pakistan takes action against cross-border terrorism. Subsequently, it restricted the flow of water for short periods through the Baglihar and Kishanganga dams.
Pakistan, then, responded by expelling Indian military liaisons, closing its airspace to Indian craft, and stating its intention to raise the issue at international forums including the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Even as relations deteriorated repeatedly, the IWT remained intact through every conflict, until the attacks in Pahalgam where gunmen opened fire on tourists, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians. Critics such as the Lowy Institute have argued that India’s suspension of the IWT is indicative of a growing inclination to weaponize treaties as a political tool, rather than promote stability.
The IWT also provides for the empanelling of the Court of Arbitration to resolve disputes arising from India and Pakistan’s shared use of water from the Indus River system. In June 2025, the tribunal issued its unanimous Supplemental Award on Competence, holding that India’s suspension of the treaty did not remove the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
New Delhi rejected the tribunal’s authority, arguing that it had never recognized the tribunal’s existence in law and that, consequently, every decision it issued was illegal and void per se. The following August, the tribunal reaffirmed that it was competent and its rulings were binding despite India’s refusal to participate. As of recent, India has rejected PCA’s award concerning maximum pondage, a technical issue concerning how much water may be stored for run-of-river hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers.
In his speech, Sharif also thanked President Donald Trump for his intervention when Pakistan faced external aggression from India. Additionally, he also highlighted that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must have a fair resolution to ensure that South Asia remains at peace.
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The Pakistan Premier, in the 81st session of the Assembly, expressed that the shared waters of the Indus River system were the “lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan, but for the entire region”. He further stated that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance had “no legal basis whatsoever”.
Sharif, pointing to the recent PCA orders, held that India’s claims had been rejected by UN experts and the Court of Arbitration and held that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance has no legal basis. He said:
The IWT is a bilateral agreement between the governments of India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank in 1960. It governs the utilisation of the Indus River system -springing from the Tibetan Plateau and flowing through India into Pakistan– and outlines the rights and obligations of each in relation to the use of the water and provision for settlement.
In April 2025, following a tragic militant attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, the Indian government responded by temporarily suspending the IWT. India stated that the Treaty would remain in abeyance till Pakistan takes action against cross-border terrorism. Subsequently, it restricted the flow of water for short periods through the Baglihar and Kishanganga dams.
Pakistan, then, responded by expelling Indian military liaisons, closing its airspace to Indian craft, and stating its intention to raise the issue at international forums including the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Even as relations deteriorated repeatedly, the IWT remained intact through every conflict, until the attacks in Pahalgam where gunmen opened fire on tourists, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians. Critics such as the Lowy Institute have argued that India’s suspension of the IWT is indicative of a growing inclination to weaponize treaties as a political tool, rather than promote stability.
The IWT also provides for the empanelling of the Court of Arbitration to resolve disputes arising from India and Pakistan’s shared use of water from the Indus River system. In June 2025, the tribunal issued its unanimous Supplemental Award on Competence, holding that India’s suspension of the treaty did not remove the tribunal’s jurisdiction.
New Delhi rejected the tribunal’s authority, arguing that it had never recognized the tribunal’s existence in law and that, consequently, every decision it issued was illegal and void per se. The following August, the tribunal reaffirmed that it was competent and its rulings were binding despite India’s refusal to participate. As of recent, India has rejected PCA’s award concerning maximum pondage, a technical issue concerning how much water may be stored for run-of-river hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers.
In his speech, Sharif also thanked President Donald Trump for his intervention when Pakistan faced external aggression from India. Additionally, he also highlighted that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must have a fair resolution to ensure that South Asia remains at peace.
The post Pakistan PM warns diversion of Indus Water constitutes an act of war appeared first on JURIST - News.
Continue reading...
Note: We don't have any responsibilities about this news. Its been posted here by Feed Reader and we had no controls and checking on it. And because News posted here will be deleted automatically after 21 days, threads are closed so that no one spend time to post and discuss here. You can always check the source and discuss in their site.