Tensions Rise: Pakistan's Defence Minister Threatens Action Over India's Water Plans

Escalating Water Disputes Between India and Pakistan

On Tuesday, Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's Defence Minister, issued a stern warning that any Indian construction aimed at diverting Pakistan's water rights under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) would face destruction. This statement heightens the already tense relations between the two nuclear-armed nations.

His comments followed India's announcement to suspend the 1960 treaty, which regulates water distribution between the two countries, in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. The treaty is vital for Pakistan, ensuring it receives 80% of the water from the Indus River system, essential for its agricultural needs.

"Any attempt by India to redirect our water will be regarded as an act of aggression," Asif stated during an interview. "Even the construction of such structures will be met with destruction."

India's Jal Shakti Minister, CR Patil, recently declared that New Delhi would ensure that "not even a drop" of Indus water reaches Pakistan. However, experts suggest that India currently lacks the necessary storage capacity to completely stop water flow to its neighbor.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain dismissed Asif's threats as empty rhetoric, suggesting they reflect Pakistan's growing anxiety. "Pakistan's leadership is clearly troubled by India's decisions," Hussain remarked to the press.

Additionally, Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have issued strong warnings, with Sharif labeling any diversion of water as an 'act of war.'

India is reportedly exploring legal and technical avenues to optimize its water usage in accordance with the treaty.