Pakistan PM warns diversion of Indus waters constitutes an ‘act of war’

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) regarding the shared waters of the Indus River and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Sharif told the Assembly that any attempt by India to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters “will be treated as an act of war.” The Pakistan premier, in the 81st session of the Assembly, expressed that the shared waters of the Indus River system are the “lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan, but for the entire region.” He further stated that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance had “no legal basis whatsoever.” Sharif, pointing to the recent Premanent Court of Arbitration orders, said that India’s claims had been rejected by UN experts and that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance has no legal basis. He said: Water must never be weaponized. Rivers should nourish nations. Not divide them. Therefore, any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the waters will be treated as an act of war. India must make no mistake about it. The IWT is a bilateral agreement between the governments of India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank in 1960. It governs the utilization of the Indus River system—springing from the Tibetan Plateau and flowing through India into Pakistan—and outlines the rights and obligations of each in relation to the use of the water and provision for settlement. In April 2025, following a deadly militant attack in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, the Indian government responded by “suspending” the IWT. India stated that the Treaty would remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes action against cross-border terrorism. Subsequently, it restricted the flow of water for short periods through the Baglihar and Kishanganga dams. Pakistan, then, responded by expelling Indian military liaisons, closing its airspace to Indian craft, and stating its intention to raise the issue at international forums including the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Even as relations deteriorated repeatedly over the decades, the IWT remained intact through every conflict—until the attack in Pahalgam, where gunmen opened fire on tourists, resulting in the deaths of 26 civilians. Critics such as the Lowy Institute have argued that India’s suspension of the IWT is indicative of a growing inclination to weaponize treaties as a political tool, rather than promote stability. The IWT also provides for the empaneling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) to resolve disputes arising from shared use of water from the Indus River system. In June 2025, the PCA issued its unanimous Supplemental Award on Competence, holding that India’s suspension of the treaty did not remove the tribunal’s jurisdiction. New Delhi rejected the PCA’s authority, arguing that it had never recognized the tribunal’s existence in law and that, consequently, every decision it issued on the matter was null and void. The following August, the tribunal reaffirmed that it was competent and its rulings were binding despite India’s refusal to participate. India has since rejected PCA’s award concerning maximum pondage, a technical issue concerning how much water may be stored for run-of-river hydroelectric projects on the Western Rivers of the Indus basin. In his speech, Sharif thanked President Donald Trump for his diplomatic intervention when Pakistan faced “external aggression” from India last year. He also stated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute must have a fair resolution to ensure that South Asia remains at peace.