Pakistan’s Water Rights are Matter of National Security, Dar warns India

ISLAMABAD – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said any attempt to weaken, suspend, or undermine Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) or interfere with Pakistan’s legally guaranteed water rights would carry serious consequences for regional peace and stability. Addressing opening session of an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty, water security, and regional cooperation, Dar cautioned that tampering with international agreements governing transboundary rivers would not only affect the countries directly involved but would also damage the credibility of international law, weaken global trust, and threaten the rules-based international order. “Pakistan’s water rights are not negotiable,” Dar said, stressing that the treaty is far more than a legal document. He described it as the foundation of the country’s agriculture, food security, energy production, economic stability, and the livelihood of more than 250 million Pakistanis. It was a privilege to address the seminar, “Indus Waters Treaty: An Instrument of Regional Peace and Stability,” where leading experts from Pakistan and abroad discussed one of the defining challenges of our time in South Asia. I underscored that the Indus Waters Treaty is not… — Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) June 30, 2026 He warned India against pursuing policies that could fuel regional tensions, urging New Delhi to resolve all outstanding disputes through dialogue, diplomacy, and the dispute-resolution mechanisms provided under international agreements rather than confrontation. Dar cautioned that any move to divert Pakistan’s allocated waters, disrupt their natural flow, or reduce the country’s treaty-guaranteed share would have “extremely serious consequences” for peace and security across South Asia. Minister stressed that Pakistan remains committed to peaceful coexistence, international law, treaty obligations, and good-neighbourly relations, but made it clear tha