THE water dispute between India and Pakistan has escalated from a technical disagreement over shared river resources into a complex geopolitical challenge that threatens regional peace and stability.
Central to this conflict is the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960, which allocated the Indus River system’s waters between the two nations.
For decades, the treaty stood as a beacon of cooperation.
However, recent unilateral Indian actions have strained this framework, raising fears of hegemonic control over Pakistan’s vital water resources.
India’s construction of hydroelectric dams and water diversion projects on the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—allocated to Pakistan under the treaty, has caused significant concern.
Projects like Kishanganga, Rattle and Pakal Dul have been developed with little transparency, allowing India to potentially regulate or reduce water flow to Pakistan during political tensions.
Such moves underline India’s expanding hegemonic stance in the region.
Pakistan’s delegation to the United Nations has repeatedly highlighted these developments as part of a broader conspiracy by India to weaponize water, threatening Pakistan’s agriculture-based economy and national security.
At a recent UN press conference, former Foreign Minister and Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari succinctly expressed Pakistan’s grave concern: “Water is life, not a weapon.
” This statement resonates deeply amid fears of water being used as a geopolitical tool rather than a shared resource.
Echoing this sentiment, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned, “India’s attempts to control our water resources threaten regional stability and peace.
” Furthermore, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir emphasized, “Water security is national security; any threat to it is a threat to our sovereignty.
” These declarations reflect Pakistan’s urgent call for recognition of water’s critical importance beyond politics.
India maintains that its projects comply with the treaty’s provisions.
Yet Pakistan contests this, arguing that the scale and design of these dams violate the spirit of the IWT.
The lack of mutual consultation and growing unilateralism signify an attempt by India to assert hydro-hegemony, using water as leverage in broader political disputes.
One of the most provocative aspects of this conflict has been public statements made by Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, threatening to stop Pakistan’s water.
These remarks often coincide with national elections or after major cross-border incidents.
Analysts believe such rhetoric serves domestic political purposes—stirring nationalist sentiments, deflecting attention from internal issues and consolidating electoral support by portraying a tough stance on Pakistan.
However, these statements undermine diplomatic norms and inflame tensions in an already volatile region.
Critically, any move by India to stop or significantly reduce Pakistan’s water share would not only be hazardous for Pakistan but could also backfire on India.
A humanitarian crisis, economic collapse in Pakistan’s agricultural sector and potential migration pressures would fuel instability across the region.
Escalated tensions could also spiral into conflict, undermining India’s own security and economic growth.
The weaponization of water would push both nuclear-armed neighbours closer to confrontation, making peace and prosperity a distant goal for all of South Asia.
Amid this backdrop, international players have occasionally stepped forward.
Notably, US President Donald Trump offered to mediate the Kashmir and water disputes between India and Pakistan during his previous tenure.
While India declined any third-party mediation, Pakistan welcomed the gesture, seeing it as a potential breakthrough to ensure regional peace and to hold India accountable under international law.
The US interest in de-escalating South Asian tensions underscores the global stakes involved in these disputes, especially when water is tied to food security, migration and potential conflict.
At international forums, Pakistan has urged the UN, the World Bank (treaty guarantor) and the global community to intervene before India transforms the water-sharing agreement into a strategic chokehold.
Indian political rhetoric has sometimes escalated tensions, with leaders threatening to cut off water supplies following security incidents, thereby reinforcing concerns over India’s intentions.
Compounding these challenges is climate change and water scarcity, which increasingly strain the Indus Basin.
Melting glaciers, unpredictable rainfall and growing water demand threaten the livelihoods of millions on both sides of the border.
Rather than fostering cooperation to manage these shared challenges, India’s approach appears geared toward dominance rather than collaboration.
To resolve the crisis, Pakistan advocates revitalizing the spirit of the Indus Waters Treaty through mutual trust, equity and depoliticization of water issues.
Essential steps include modernizing the treaty to address climate risks and dam safety, incorporating international mediation when bilateral talks falter, promoting joint scientific and environmental initiatives and curbing inflammatory rhetoric that endangers peace.
Water should unite South Asia’s peoples, not divide them.
The dispute is more than legal or technical—it is a litmus test of the region’s commitment to justice, peace and survival.
With India’s hegemonic moves challenging the existing order, Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts—especially at the United Nations—play a crucial role in highlighting the issue globally.
For South Asia to avoid future conflicts over this vital resource, both nations must embrace cooperation rather than conflict.
Peace, prosperity and environmental sustainability depend on a fair, transparent and responsible approach to water management that respects the shared destiny of over a billion people in the region.
—The writer is an Islamabad-based broadcast journalist & blogger. (miranimuslim@gmail.com)