Islamabad on Thursday warned India against any attempt to block water to Pakistan, asserting that any such action will constitute an “act of war” and receive a serious response.
A day earlier, Indian Minister of Water C.R. Patil said New Delhi is working to ensure “not a single drop of water” flows into neighboring Pakistan.
During a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi responded to the Indian minister’s statement, declaring any such attempt deeply irresponsible and contrary to international obligations and the Indus Waters Treaty. “Pakistan will take all necessary measures to safeguard its economy and its vital national interests and the lives of its 250 million people,” he said.
The spokesperson also urged India to take responsibility, honor its international commitments and refrain from statements and actions that further escalate tensions in the region.
India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in May 2025 after accusing Islamabad, without any evidence, of backing an attack on tourists in India-held Kashmir. Pakistan categorically denies the charges. Under the treaty, water from six rivers whose headwaters originate in India but flow into Pakistan as part of the Indus basin is divided between the two countries, with each having the right to three rivers.
During his briefing, Andrabi also rejected India’s statements on the unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, dismissing them in their entirety. He highlighted the contrast between the situation in India-held Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, noting Delhi had illegally annexed an internationally recognized disputed territory whose people have suffered systemic abuses under draconian laws and denied their rights, including the right to self-determination.
Contrarily, he maintained, the government was addressing issues in Pakistan-administered Kashmir within the democratic and constitutional framework.