• Musadik says unilateral suspension of water treaties threatens downstream nations
• Stresses regional cooperation on glacial melt, ecosystem protection

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik on Tuesday warned against “water aggression” and efforts to undermine international water-sharing agreements, urging India to respect the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) of 1960.

Addressing the Fourth High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development” (2018-2028) in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe, the minister warned that attempts to undermine such agreements could jeopardise the rights of downstream countries. He accused India of seeking to politicise shared water resources in violation of longstanding international commitments.

The minister added that unilateral actions affecting transboundary rivers could create serious global challenges related to water security, food production and climate resilience.

Mr Malik said water aggression was unacceptable, stressing that no country should be allowed to use water as a weapon or suspend international agreements unilaterally while depriving other nations of their lawful water rights.

The minister urged India to respect the IWT and honour international mediation mechanisms. He warned that any attempt to place the treaty in abeyance would set a dangerous precedent for downstream countries around the world.

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allocates the three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — to Pakistan, and the three eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India.

In April 2025, India announced a unilateral suspension of its obligations under the IWT following an attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence.

Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension.

A supplemental award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) earlier this month affirmed Islamabad’s position on the Indus Waters Treaty, placing “substantive limits on India’s water-control capability” on the Indus river system’s western rivers, according to a statement by the Pakistan government.

However, the Indian foreign ministry rejected the PCA’s decision.

Decline of multilateralism

At the conference, Musadik Malik also expressed concern over what he described as the decline of multilateralism in global affairs, saying cooperative international frameworks are increasingly being replaced by unilateral approaches. He warned that upstream countries could exploit this trend to pressure vulnerable downstream states by restricting access to shared water resources.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s growing climate challenges, saying that the country remained among the nations severely affected by global warming.

He emphasised the urgent need for regional cooperation on glacial melt and ecosystem preservation. He noted that Pakistan and Tajikistan host nearly 13,000 glaciers each, but have lost approximately 1,000 of them because of rising global temperatures.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2026