Ishaq Dar Raises Alarm Over 17 Projects
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has warned that at least 17 Indian projects on the Indus River System could give New Delhi tools for hydro-hegemony.
His remarks were shared during a seminar titled “Transboundary Water Resources: A Weaponised Global Common.” The event was jointly organised by Pakistan’s embassy in Brussels and the Centre for European Policy Studies.
Dar said shared water resources must be managed through agreed legal frameworks. He warned that competing interests could turn them into sources of conflict if treaties are ignored.
Pakistan Defends Indus Waters Treaty
Dar said Pakistan signed the Indus Waters Treaty with India in 1960 to ensure peaceful sharing of the six rivers of the Indus system.
He said the treaty had survived wars and repeated crises for decades. However, he added that recent Indian actions had placed the agreement under serious strain.
He accused India of moving ahead with projects on the Chenab, Indus, and Ravi rivers. These include Sawalkot, Kirthai, Kwar, Baglihar, and Salal-related projects.
Water Must Not Become a Weapon
Dar said rivers are not just waterways. He called them lifelines for millions of people.
He warned that any policy aimed at depriving Pakistan of its rightful access to water could create a major humanitarian and regional crisis.
The foreign minister said Pakistan remains committed to dialogue, diplomacy, and international law. He added that shared waters should unite nations, not divide them.
