Pakistan warns against Indian “water aggression” at global forum

Pakistan has accused India of trying to politicise shared water resources in violation of international obligations, including the Indus Waters Treaty. Speaking at the fourth international conference on the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development in Dushanbe on Tuesday, Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Musadik Malik cautioned that attempts to weaken global water-sharing arrangements could threaten the rights of downstream countries. “Water aggression is unacceptable,” he said, adding that no state should be permitted to use water as a political tool or suspend international agreements unilaterally while denying other nations their legitimate share of resources. Malik called on India to uphold the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and adhere to established international dispute resolution mechanisms. He warned that placing the treaty in abeyance would create a dangerous example for downstream nations worldwide. The minister also voiced concern over the erosion of multilateral cooperation in international affairs, saying unilateral actions were increasingly replacing collaborative global frameworks. He warned that such trends could encourage upstream countries to pressure vulnerable downstream states by limiting access to shared rivers and water supplies. Describing clean water as a basic human right, he said rural populations and farming communities in developing countries were especially exposed to the consequences of water shortages and supply disruptions. Highlighting Pakistan’s climate vulnerabilities, he noted that the country remains among the nations most affected by climate change. He said repeated floods and extreme weather events had caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, farmland and livelihoods across the country. Malik stated that increasingly severe “super floods” were placing additional strain on the economy and worsening food security concerns due to falling agricultural output. He stressed the i