ISLAMABAD (TNS) Using water as a weapon of war is a violation of international law. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1977 Additional Protocol, the use of water resources as a weapon of war is prohibited, as it can harm populations and violate human rights. Indian water aggression has increased the risk of disrupting the peace balance in South Asia. According to research by senior analyst Asghar Ali Mubarak, Pakistan has repeatedly highlighted Indian water aggression at every forum in the world after its historic victory in the Battle of Haq last year. In particular, the decision of the International Court of Justice is an argument for Pakistan’s position. In India, the extremist Modi government is making a sinister attempt to use water as a weapon. The Prime Minister said in his message on World Water Resources Day yesterday that Pakistan considers attempts to use water as a weapon of war a serious violation of international law and strongly rejects it. Pakistan believes in the full and equitable implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, while adhering to international law. World Water Resources Day provides an opportunity for Pakistan and the world community to reaffirm their commitment to the sustainable conservation and management of water resources. This year, the day is being observed under the apt theme of “Water Resources and Traditional Knowledge: Preserving Cultural Heritage”. This theme reminds us of the cultural background and importance of water resources. The Prime Minister of Pakistan, in his message on World Water Resources Day, February 2, 2026, said that.
Pakistan is a party to the 1971 World Water Resources Convention, which highlights the use of water resources for humanity and the conservation of water resources. This international day is observed as a reminder of this convention. Reliable water resources play a key role in addressing serious environmental and economic challenges for any country. These reserves help in protecting against droughts, floods, and extreme climate change. Our water bodies, including lakes and glaciers, inland water bodies, and coastal and mangrove areas, are the source of biodiversity conservation, protection from climate change, and water management. For millions of Pakistanis, water bodies are an essential part of their livelihoods and daily lives. Depletion of water bodies leads to loss of livelihoods, an increase in food prices at the national level, and floods and droughts. Conserving water bodies is not just an environmental duty to avoid climate change, but it is also a guarantee of social well-being at the individual and collective levels. The Prime Minister of Pakistan said in his message that let us renew our commitment today that not only individually but also collectively, we will make every effort to protect water bodies, considering them as our most valuable national, environmental, social, and cultural asset. At the global level, the Government of Pakistan will continue to raise its voice for the promotion of fair, legal, and peaceful use of water bodies among countries. Using water as a weapon of war is a violation of international law. Under the 1949 Geneva Conventions and the 1977 Additional Protocols, the use of water resources as a weapon of war is prohibited, as it can harm populations and violate human rights. The use of water as a weapon of war is a violation of international law, the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, in particular Article 54 of the Geneva Conventions (1949): It is prohibited to starve the enemy population or to deprive it of the means of subsistence. Article 55: It is prohibited to damage or destroy resources essential to the survival of the population, such as water, during wartime. Article 35 of the Additional Protocol (1977): It is prohibited to use the means of war indiscriminately, including water, while Article 54: It is prohibited to deprive the population of the means of subsistence. Many countries, including India and Pakistan, have signed these conventions and are bound by them. There are several ways to address such incidents at the international level. The International Court of Arbitration is a legal institution for resolving disputes between countries. If a country violates the Geneva Conventions, the affected country can file a complaint with the International Court of Arbitration. The International Committee of the Red Cross monitors compliance with the Geneva Conventions and reports violations. If a country threatens international peace, the Peace Council can intervene and impose sanctions. The International Court of Justice can take action against the perpetrators if war crimes or genocide are being committed in a country. UNESCO works to protect water resources and enforce international law. Water is Pakistan’s red line; India is weaponizing water. Pakistan has achieved a major diplomatic and legal victory in the Indus Waters Treaty. The Procedural Order No. 19 of the Arbitration Court issued on January 29, 2026, clearly affirmed Pakistan’s position based on the treaty, while the Arbitration Court not only maintained its legal authority but also directly imposed the responsibility for compliance on India, advancing the evidence presented by Pakistan. Pakistan views any attempt to unilaterally obstruct the flow of its allocated water as a red line.India’s use of water as a tool of coercion would be counterproductive and would invite proportionate diplomatic, legal, and strategic responses. Water is a human need, not a weapon of war. India’s increasing violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, including unilateral water withholding, hostile rhetoric, threats of suspension, and refusal to join mediation, expose a deliberate strategy of weaponizing water against Pakistan. According to security sources, this aggressive hydropolitical campaign not only endangers Pakistan’s water security but is also undermining international law, the sanctity of multilateral treaties, and peace in South Asia. According to the Pakistani government, the role of the court regarding the Indus Waters Treaty is crucial, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is of the view that Pakistan is ready for meaningful talks with India on all outstanding issues, including occupied Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. Pakistan’s narrative in this regard is that India’s attempt to suspend the IWT is illegitimate. India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, and any such action is legally void, morally indefensible, and in violation of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and International Watercourse Law. This has also become clear after the verdict. India not only does not have the authority to stop the arbitration proceedings but also cannot unilaterally suspend the agreement in the future. The court’s decision comes in the context of Pakistan’s complaint filed in 2016 on the Ratle and Kishanganga projects, in which India tried to stop the proceedings through the World Bank. The Foreign Office spokesperson strongly reacted to India’s statement rejecting the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a clear violation of international law. The spokesperson said that the Indus Waters Treaty is not just a political understanding, but an international agreement that cannot be unilaterally revised or rejected. Pakistan fully respects this agreement and will take all possible steps to protect its legitimate rights and interests. There is no legal justification for India to suspend or reject the agreement, because the Indus Waters Treaty was concluded under the auspices of the United Nations, and it binds both countries to implement it under international law. India’s attempt to use the treaty as a political weapon is not only highly irresponsible but also a clear violation of internationally recognized principles. This behavior can not only increase tensions in the region but also set a dangerous precedent for the international community. Pakistan, as a responsible state, fully abides by its international agreements and will continue to fully implement the Indus Waters Treaty. He urged India to refrain from its unilateral, illegal, and provocative statements and actions and ensure the uninterrupted implementation of the treaty. The Foreign Office urged the international community to take notice of India’s aggressive and illegal behavior, which could pose a threat to peace and stability in the region. Pakistan reiterated its resolve to take all necessary steps to protect its water rights and interests and will not tolerate any kind of abuse. Indian leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Modi, have openly threatened Pakistan with access to water, as if blood and water do not go together. Such rhetoric, often during election campaigns, exposes a deep strategy of coercion through hydrological aggression. Projects like the Baglihar and Kishanganga on the western rivers violate the terms of the treaty and reduce Pakistan’s water availability, harming agriculture, livelihoods, and food security in an already water-scarce country. Whether it is the Kulbhushan Jadhav case or ceasefire violations, Pakistan has never played politics over civilian infrastructure. It has consistently respected the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s actions violate the spirit and structure of the treaty. The IWT was deliberately kept out of political and military tensions in the 1960s World Bank mediation. India’s attempt to link it to broader disputes undermines both the treaty and the international framework for peaceful water cooperation. India has violated World Bank procedures by refusing to join the mediation and by disrespecting the Bank’s role as guarantor. This not only weakens the Indus Waters Treaty but also undermines global trust in international institutions. Weaponizing water is a violation of international norms. Under the United Nations Watercourses Convention and the principle of no harm, transboundary waters should be managed cooperatively. On the other hand, the government of Pakistan has welcomed the decision of the arbitration court and termed it a welcome decision. An official statement said that the court’s finding of illegality of the Indian move supports Pakistan’s position. According to the government of Pakistan, the role of the court in the Indus Waters Treaty is very important, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is of the view that Pakistan is ready for meaningful negotiations with India on all outstanding issues, including occupied Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. The arbitration court clearly stated that the arbitration process under the Indus Waters Treaty is fully functional and the non-participation of any party cannot stop the proceedings.The court also confirmed that political statements or unilateral declarations cannot suspend the treaty mechanism. The order said that compliance will be determined on the basis of ground and practical facts and not on exaggerated or hypothetical planning. The court has formally made India’s non-response to the stipulated timelines a part of the record in the proceedings. In a significant development, the court has directed that India submit its operational logbooks and relevant records within the stipulated period and clarified that non-cooperation does not weaken the obligations of any party under the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan, while terming India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as a serious threat to water security and regional stability, has clarified that the treaty remains legally in force and no party has the authority to suspend or modify it unilaterally. This was stated by Pakistan’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, while addressing the Global Water Bankruptcy Policy Roundtable organized jointly by the Permanent Mission of Canada and the United Nations University. According to a press release issued by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan, the Ambassador said that Pakistan’s position is very clear. The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty is fully valid, and there is no scope for any unilateral suspension or amendment in it. He said that India’s announcement of suspension of the treaty in April last year, followed by unannounced interruptions in water flow and withholding of hydrological information, is tantamount to a blatant violation of the treaty. The Indus Waters Treaty has been providing a tried and tested framework for the equitable and predictable management of the Indus River system for over six decades. This system meets over 80 percent of Pakistan’s agricultural water needs. The livelihoods and food of over 240 million people depend on it. Water insecurity has now become not just a regional issue but a global systemic threat, affecting food production, energy, public health, employment, and human security. Referring to Pakistan, he said that the country is facing serious challenges such as severe floods, droughts, rapid melting of glaciers, depletion of groundwater, and rapid population growth, which are putting further strain on the already stressed water system. Pakistan is taking several steps to build water resilience, including integrated water planning, flood protection, rehabilitation of canal systems, groundwater recharge, and ecosystem restoration, with projects like Living Indus and Recharge Pakistan being prominent.
No country can address water threats in shared river systems alone. He termed transparency, predictability, and mutual cooperation as indispensable for transboundary water management. The ambassador demanded that water insecurity be recognized as a global systemic threat before the 2026 UN Water Conference and that respect for international water laws be made the centerpiece of shared water governance. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, in its judgment, has declared India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and limitation of the role of the arbitral tribunal as unacceptable and illegal. According to the report, the court said that no party to the treaty has the authority to unilaterally stop the arbitration proceedings or limit the jurisdiction of the court. According to the judgment, there is no provision for unilateral suspension in the Indus Waters Treaty, and the application of the treaty can only be terminated or suspended by mutual consent of both countries. The court clarified that even if one party tries to suspend the treaty, it will not have any impact on the proceedings and decision-making of the court. The court emphasized that the provisions of the treaty assign a mandatory and active role to the arbitral tribunal in resolving disputes. Any attempt by one party to obstruct the arbitration is contrary to the spirit of the treaty. The court will continue to adjudicate on the Indus Waters Treaty and will continue to play its role in a fair, effective, and responsible manner. Pakistan has expressed concern over the change in the flow of the Chenab River and said that a letter has been written to India seeking clarification on the matter. Referring to the ‘sudden change’ in the flow of the Chenab River, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said that several media outlets have reported that India has released water into the Chenab River. Pakistan views these changes with utmost concern and seriousness, as they indicate unilateral release of water into the Chenab River by India without prior notice. He said, ‘Our Indus Water Commissioner has written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification as per the procedure laid down in the Indus Waters Treaty. Any tampering with the flow of the river by India, especially at a critical stage of the agricultural cycle, directly threatens the lives, livelihoods, food security, and economic security of our citizens.’ He demanded that we demand that India respond to the questions raised by the Pakistani Indus Water Commissioner, refrain from any unilateral interference in the flow of the river, and fulfill its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty in word and deed. The Indus Waters Treaty is a ‘binding international agreement’ that has been a ‘source of peace, security and stability in the region’. It may be noted that under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, the three west-flowing rivers Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum were given to Pakistan, while India got the three eastern rivers of the Indus Waters. Violation of the treaty threatens the sanctity of international agreements and observance of international law and also seriously harms regional peace, the principles of good neighborliness, and the norms of relations between states.
He said that the international community should take notice of India’s continued violation of a bilateral agreement and advise India to adopt a responsible attitude, act in accordance with international law, recognized principles, and its obligations. Pakistan is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and issues with India; however, we will not compromise on the inherent water rights of our people. It may be recalled that in April this year, India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty after an attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of occupied Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. India had blamed Islamabad for the incident without evidence. Pakistan had termed any attempt to suspend its share of water under the agreement as a ‘declaration of war’ and had made it clear that there was no scope for unilateral suspension in the agreement. Pakistan later considered legal action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which provides a framework for international disputes, issued a supplementary ruling on jurisdiction, holding that India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. The supplementary ruling was issued in a 2023 case filed by Pakistan before the PCA against the design of Indian hydroelectric projects on rivers granted to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that we are seeing serious violations by India that are an attack on the spirit of the Indus Waters Treaty. Last year, the Chenab River witnessed unusual and sudden changes in its flow twice, recorded between April 30 and May 21 and December 7 and December 15. These changes in water flow are of great concern to Pakistan as they indicate unilateral release of water by India into the Chenab River. India released this water without prior notification, data, or information exchange as required under the Indus Waters Treaty. Due to this negative move by India, our Indus Water Commissioner has written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification, as stipulated in the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s recent move is a clear example of weaponizing water, which Pakistan has been drawing the attention of the international community to.
He warned that India’s manipulation of water at a critical stage of the agricultural cycle directly threatens the lives, livelihoods, food, and economic security of our citizens. Pakistan expects India to respond to the questions raised by the Indus Water Commissioner, refrain from any unilateral changes in the flow of rivers, and fully implement the Indus Waters Treaty in accordance with its spirit and letter. The recent violations by India are just one example; India is continuously trying to undermine this treaty in a systematic manner. India has included designs in hydroelectric projects like Kishanganga and Ratle that violate the technical terms of the agreement. India is constructing illegal dams and creating an irreparable situation by ignoring its obligations under the agreement. Through these dams, India is increasing its water storage and diversion capacity, which is a threat to Pakistan’s security, economy, and the employment of 240 million people.
