Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik has made a strongly worded statement over the ongoing dispute surrounding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying Pakistan would respond firmly to any attempt to interfere with what Islamabad considers its share of river waters.
His remarks come amid heightened diplomatic tensions after India placed the decades-old treaty in abeyance following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Speaking at a press conference, Malik alleged that India was attempting to control Pakistan’s share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty. According to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper, he claimed that India’s leadership had indicated it would not allow water to flow into Pakistan and argued that such actions threatened Pakistan’s agricultural sector, food security and economy.
Highlighting the importance of river water to Pakistan, Malik said that nearly half of the country’s population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. He further asserted that water availability directly affects employment and a significant portion of Pakistan’s economy.
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Warning Over Pakistan’s Water Share
During the briefing, Malik reiterated Pakistan’s position that any effort to deprive the country of its allocated water would invite a strong response. He also argued that international norms generally allow river water to continue flowing even in the absence of formal treaties, adding that Pakistan intended to present its legal arguments before the international community.
The minister maintained that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid and described the issue as one involving justice and internationally recognised water rights. His comments were carried by multiple Pakistani media outlets and circulated widely on social media.
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Pakistan Reaffirms Legal Validity of Indus Waters Treaty
At the same press conference, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar maintained that the Indus Waters Treaty cannot be suspended, revoked or amended by one country acting alone. Citing Pakistan’s legal position, he said the treaty remains enforceable under international law and claimed Islamabad’s interpretation has received international support.
“There is a tap being controlled by the prime minister of a neighbouring country. He says he will not let even a drop of water flow into Pakistan,” Malik said, according to Dawn. In a press conference, Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik said that “we have already declared that if anybody tries to touch our water, we will cut off those hands”.
However, the authenticity of the circulated video clips has not been independently verified by The Theorist.
India’s Position After Pahalgam Terror Attack
The latest comments from Pakistani ministers come weeks after Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil stated that India plans to fully utilise its allocated share of Indus river waters within the next 18 to 24 months. He said India would ensure that the country’s entitled share is used domestically.
India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty after the 2025 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed. New Delhi has maintained that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and verifiable action against cross-border terrorism originating from its territory.
About the Indus Waters Treaty
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 with the World Bank acting as a broker between India and Pakistan. The agreement governs the sharing and management of the waters of the Indus River system and has remained one of the key bilateral arrangements between the two countries for more than six decades despite recurring political and military tensions.
