Why it matters:
The sharp rhetoric from Pakistan’s political and military leadership risks further deterioration in already tense India-Pakistan relations. The Indus Water Treaty, long seen as a rare example of cooperation, now faces unprecedented strain, potentially undermining regional stability and water security.
The big picture:
The Indus Water Treaty, signed in 1960 with the World Bank as guarantor, regulates water sharing of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.
On April 24, India announced the treaty would be kept in abeyance following the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Pakistani officials have responded with direct threats, including nuclear rhetoric, warning of severe consequences if India withholds river water.
What they’re saying:
Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan:
“If you threaten to hold our water, keep in mind you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan’s. “You will be taught such a lesson that you will be left holding your ears.”
Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan Army Chief: Speaking in Tampa, Florida:
“We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us.”Compared India to a “shining Mercedes” and Pakistan to a “dump truck full of gravel,” warning that in a collision, “who is going to be the loser?”
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Former Foreign Minister:
Called India’s suspension of the treaty “an attack on the Indus Valley Civilisation” and warned of war if New Delhi continues altering the agreement.
Bilawal warns that another war could see Pakistan reclaim “all six of its rivers.”
Go deeper:
India Calls Pakistan Army Chief's Nuclear Threat Irresponsible
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