Pakistan Seeks Global Intervention Over Indus Waters Treaty, Says India’s Move Threatens Regional Stability

New Delhi: Pakistan has stepped up its international campaign over the Indus Waters Treaty, urging the global community to intervene after India suspended the water-sharing agreement in April 2025. Islamabad has expressed growing concern over India’s firm position, arguing that the Indus River system is critical to Pakistan’s agriculture, food security, power generation, employment and overall economy.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar raised the issue during a virtual seminar organised by the Pakistani Embassy in the United States. Questioning India’s decision, Dar described the suspension of the treaty as a unilateral move and argued that the agreement does not provide grounds for such action.

He called for dialogue and cooperation between the two countries, warning that continued suspension of the treaty could have serious consequences. Pakistan is increasingly presenting the issue not merely as a dispute over water but as one with wider implications for regional peace and security.

‘More Than 250 Million Pakistanis Depend on Indus’

Calling the Indus River Pakistan’s lifeline, Ishaq Dar said more than 250 million people depend on its waters.

The river system plays a crucial role in agricultural irrigation and electricity generation, while millions of livelihoods are directly or indirectly linked to it. Dar argued that water security is closely connected to Pakistan’s economic security and, ultimately, its national security.

He further claimed that any prolonged disruption could have repercussions beyond the two countries and potentially affect stability across South Asia.

Pakistan Points to Its Growing Water Crisis

Islamabad has also highlighted Pakistan’s worsening domestic water crisis while making its case internationally.

Dar pointed to declining per-capita water availability and cited changing weather patterns, glacier melt, floods and prolonged droughts as major challenges facing the country.

Against this backdrop, he argued that cooperation between neighbouring countries should take precedence over confrontation and called for the restoration of dialogue on the water-sharing arrangement.

Islamabad Appeals to International Community

Pakistan is now attempting to build international support around the issue, arguing that disruption to its water supply could threaten livelihoods, employment and regional stability.

Islamabad maintains that the Indus River system should remain a shared lifeline rather than becoming another flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

Why Did India Suspend the Treaty?

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, in which 26 civilians were killed.

New Delhi subsequently took a firm position on the water-sharing agreement, linking its decision to the broader security situation and India’s concerns over cross-border terrorism.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has repeatedly sought international attention over the issue and is now intensifying those efforts. With Islamabad appealing to the global community and New Delhi maintaining its position, the Indus Waters Treaty has emerged as yet another major source of tension between the two countries.

The dispute over the river waters therefore extends beyond water management, touching on security, diplomacy, agriculture and regional stability—making the future of the treaty a closely watched issue across South Asia.