Pakistan says it won’t allow India to cross water treaty ‘red line’

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly criticized on Friday India’s suspension of the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a violation of international norms and a dangerous precedent that could threaten millions of lives in the region.

“India’s unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Water Treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus Basin’s water, is deeply regrettable,” Shehbaz said. “Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains, and Pakistan will not allow this. We will never allow the red line to be crossed.”

He made the remarks while addressing the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, taking place in Dushanbe from May 29 to 31. The event is hosted by the Government of Tajikistan in partnership with the United Nations, UNESCO, the World Meteorological Organization, the Asian Development Bank and other global partners. More than 2,500 delegates from 80 UN member states and 70 international organizations, including senior government officials and climate experts, are attending.

India announced on April 23 that it was suspending the World Bank-mediated 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, accusing Pakistan of backing a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 people dead, most of them tourists. Pakistan has denied the allegation and called for a credible international investigation.

The treaty, considered a cornerstone of peace in South Asia, grants Pakistan control over the western rivers of the Indus basin — the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — while India has rights to the eastern rivers — the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej. India is permitted to use western rivers for limited irrigation and hydropower generation but cannot store or divert large volumes of water.

“The world today bears fresh scars from the use of conventional weapons in Gaza that have left deep wounds,” Shehbaz said. “As if that were not enough, we are now witnessing an alarming new low — the weaponization of water.”

The prime minister used the global forum to link rising geopolitical tensions to the broader climate crisis, highlighting the vulnerability of countries like Pakistan, which is home to more than 13,000 glaciers — one of the highest concentrations outside the polar regions.

“The five great rivers that shape our geographical landscape — Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej — all depend on the stability of glacial systems. This makes Pakistan one of the most vulnerable countries to any climatic changes that impact glaciers,” he said.

Shehbaz reminded the audience of the catastrophic floods in 2022, which devastated large parts of Pakistan. Millions of acres of crops were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of homes and infrastructure were lost. He noted that Pakistan contributes less than 0.5% of global carbon emissions yet remains among the 10 most climate-vulnerable countries.

'Fragile ecosystem'

Referring to scientific projections, the prime minister warned that glacial melt in the region is expected to accelerate flooding in the short term, followed by a sharp drop in water availability as glaciers recede.

“These changes threaten our fragile ecosystem,” he said. “As we inch closer to these grim new realities, we must heed the alarm bells — lost livelihoods, displaced families, and deep chaos.”

He urged developed nations to fulfill their financial pledges on climate action, calling for a balanced approach that supports both mitigation and adaptation.

“Adequate funding for climate resilience, infrastructure, and overcoming financing gaps remains critical,” Shehbaz said. “Investment must be made in early warning systems and disaster preparedness.”

The prime minister ended his speech with a personal reflection, recalling childhood memories of swimming in Pakistan’s Ravi River and drawing parallels to Tajikistan’s glacier-fed Vakhsh River.

“Let us protect and preserve nature’s precious bounties for our planet and our peoples,” he urged.

The statement comes amid a sharp escalation in hostilities between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Following the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, India launched missile strikes on alleged militant sites in Pakistan on May 7. Pakistan responded with its own attacks, leading to four days of the worst military clashes between the two countries in decades.

The violence eased after diplomatic efforts involving the United States, though India insists that all matters with Pakistan must be resolved bilaterally and without third-party involvement.

Pakistan, however, has called for international attention to what it calls India’s weaponization of shared water resources — a step officials in Islamabad say could have destabilizing consequences for the entire region.