Ishaq Dar Urges India to Resolve Issues Through Diplomacy
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has urged India to resolve all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue and diplomacy.
Addressing an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty in Islamabad on Tuesday, Dar said both countries must learn to live like good neighbours. He said peace in the region is only possible through mutual respect, dialogue, and recognition of state sovereignty.
Dar said Pakistan remains ready for meaningful talks on all issues. However, he added that dialogue requires commitment from both sides. He said one country alone cannot build peace.
The deputy prime minister warned India against violating the Indus Waters Treaty. He said the cost of damaging an international river agreement could be very high.
Dar said such violations do not affect only two countries. They also create a dangerous precedent in international relations and damage the reputation of states.
He said India had kept the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance after the killing of 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir in April 2025. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, but Islamabad rejected the allegation.
Pakistan Calls Water a Matter of National Survival
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also addressed the seminar and said Pakistan would protect the sanctity of the Indus Waters Treaty under all circumstances.
He warned that any attempt to stop Pakistan’s water would receive an effective response from the country’s leadership.
Tarar said water is not just a natural resource for Pakistan. He called it a matter of national survival for 240 million people.
He said Pakistan’s agriculture, economy, and food security are closely linked to the Indus River system. He added that the 1960 treaty remains one of the world’s most important and long-standing water-sharing agreements.
The minister said Pakistan has always supported peaceful relations and constructive dialogue. He added that any change to the treaty can only be made through mutual agreement.
He said unilateral action against the treaty had weakened India’s position at international forums.
Experts Warn Against Using Water as a Weapon
Pakistan’s Commissioner for the Indus Waters Treaty, Syed Mehr Ali Shah, said India has not been complying with the treaty since August 2023.
He said Pakistan had sent a letter to India requesting data sharing under the agreement. He also said India’s unilateral suspension of the treaty was illegal.
The commissioner accused India of diverting Chenab River water. He said the move could affect major water flows. He added that India cannot divert Chenab waters into the Beas River under the treaty.
Russian expert Dr Roxolana Zigon said any attempt to deny Pakistan its water rights would violate international law. She said the treaty has supported water cooperation between Pakistan and India for more than six decades.
She added that more than 90 percent of Pakistan’s agriculture depends on river water. She also said 21 major hydropower projects are linked to the Indus River system.
Former National Defence University president Lt Gen retired Amir Riaz said the Indus River system supports the world’s largest irrigation network. He said Pakistan’s agriculture, economy, energy needs, development, and prosperity are tied to this system.
He warned that any attempt to seize Pakistan’s water share would be viewed as a serious threat to national security.
