WATER sustains life and is a matter of life and death.
India, under Prime Minister Modi, is dangerously using water as leverage against Pakistan by unilaterally suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
This treaty, vital for Pakistan’s economy and agriculture, is a critical lifeline.
India justified this move with the Pahalgam incident but offered no credible evidence or dialogue.
This breach violates international law, especially the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969), which requires parties to honour treaties in good faith.
The IWT was more than a diplomatic agreement; it ensured regional cooperation and water security for millions.
Pakistan’s agriculture — which forms the backbone of its economy — relies heavily on the Indus River system, with more than 80% of its food production dependent on this water source.
Interfering with its flow is not just economic sabotage; it’s a direct threat to human survival.
By treating water as a geopolitical tool, India is engaging in what can only be described as economic coercion—an alarming move with implications far beyond the subcontinent.
From a legal standpoint, India’s action lacks legitimacy.
According to Articles 42, 57 and 60 of the Vienna Convention, treaties cannot be suspended unilaterally unless explicitly permitted within the treaty or agreed upon through mutual consent.
The IWT contains no such provisions and India bypassed all diplomatic channels.
This reckless suspension, therefore, sets a dangerous precedent and erodes the credibility of international agreements globally.
Pakistan has responded with resolve.
The National Security Committee has already outlined lawful countermeasures and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding its water rights through diplomatic, legal and multilateral forums.
This issue is not just bilateral—it has broader implications for food security, ecological balance and peace across South Asia.
The United Nations Security Council, under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, has a mandate to address such threats to global peace.
Furthermore, the five permanent members of the Security Council (P5), who in 1998 acknowledged their role in preventing conflict between nuclear states in South Asia, must now step up.
This crisis poses a moral and legal challenge: should a nation be allowed to hold a vital natural resource hostage for political gain?
India’s actions dangerously suggest so.
Pakistan remains committed to dialogue and peace, but it cannot remain passive in the face of water aggression.
While extending the hand of diplomacy, it will also protect its national interests with full resolve.
India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and its weaponization of water is not merely a provocation—it is an act of strategic aggression that defies international law, endangers millions of lives and undermines decades of regional stability.
If the global community fails to confront this grave violation, it will not just embolden India—it will dismantle the credibility of international treaties everywhere.
The time to act is now, before this manufactured water crisis erupts into a full-scale catastrophe.
—The writer is an alumnus of QAU, MPhil scholar & a contributing columnist, based in Islamabad. (fa7263125@gmail.com)
