Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director-General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on has reiterated that water is a “red line” for Pakistan, warning that any attempt by India to halt flows will trigger severe consequences.
In an interview with Arab News, he hoped India would not attempt to block flows, but maintained that if such an occurrence developed, the world would witness a response that would echo for years and decades. “Nobody dare stop water of Pakistan,” he said.
Last month, after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India unilaterally “held in abeyance” the Indus Waters Treaty, warning it could stop the flow of water to Pakistan. The declaration prompted swift backlash from Islamabad, which declared it illegal. Tensions between the neighboring states persist after they came to the brink of war earlier this month but a tentative ceasefire has enabled a gradual normalization of ties.
“Pakistan’s armed forces are professional … we adhere to the commitments that we make, and we follow in letter and spirit the instructions of the political government and the commitments that they hold,” said the military spokesman, adding there was no threat from Pakistan of the ceasefire ending. He said both sides had committed to confidence-building measures that were ongoing.
“If any violation occurs, our response is always there … but it is only directed at those posts and those positions from where the violations of the ceasefire happen,” said Lt. Gen. Chaudhry. “We never target the civilians. We never target any civil infrastructure,” he added.
The ISPR DG also confirmed that Pakistan had down six Indian aircraft during the four-day military confrontation between the two states. “We could have taken out more, but we showed restraint,” he said. However, he warned, sustainable peace would remain elusive so long as the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remained unresolved. “Their [India] policy on Kashmir is not working,” he said. “Till the time Indians don’t sit and talk about Kashmir, then (as) two countries we sit and we find a solution to it, the conflict potential is there,” he added.
Separately, in an interview with RT Arabia, Chaudhry stressed that Pakistan prioritizes peace, but will not allow Indian hegemony to go unanswered. He also reiterated Pakistan’s call for an independent probe into the Pahalgam incident, noting Delhi had yet to provide any evidence of its claims. “Where is the wisdom in making allegations without investigation and evidence?” he questioned.