Saturday, March 29, 2025
Following India’s stern actions in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, tensions between the two countries have escalated dramatically. Among India’s measures was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)—a move that has triggered panic in Pakistan. Now, Pakistani leaders are describing the situation as catastrophic, equating it to a “water bomb.”
During a parliamentary session, Pakistani Member of Parliament Syed Ali Zafar raised grave concerns, stating:
“If the water crisis is not resolved, we could starve to death. The Indus Basin is our lifeline. 90% of our people earn their livelihood from water provided under the Indus Waters Treaty. Over 90% of our crops and all our major dams and hydroelectric projects depend on this water. This is no less than a ‘water bomb’ and must be defused.”
India made it clear after Operation Sindoor that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is indefinite and directly tied to Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism.
On Thursday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated:
“Talks and terrorism cannot go together. The Indus Waters Treaty will remain suspended until Islamabad stops supporting terrorism across borders. Any dialogue will begin only after Pakistan vacates illegally occupied Indian territory.”
Despite a ceasefire agreement after four days of intense border tensions, Pakistan has formally appealed to India to lift the water ban. A letter from Pakistan’s Secretary of Water Resources Syed Ali Murtaza to India’s Jal Shakti Secretary Debashree Mukherjee pleaded for the resumption of the treaty.
So far, India has stood firm, viewing the water issue as leverage to press for an end to terrorism and the return of occupied Indian land.
¾ of Pakistan’s water supply comes from external sources, primarily the Indus system.
90% of agriculture and irrigation depends on these rivers.
Key infrastructure—dams, canals, and hydropower plants—are built around this water flow.
The suspension of the treaty poses a direct threat to Pakistan’s food and energy security, prompting emotional pleas from lawmakers and rising public concern.
