India on Tuesday strongly criticized Pakistani Defense Minister Khwaja Asif’s remarks about going to war over the suspended Indus Waters Treaty, accusing Islamabad of trying to deflect attention from its own shortcomings and human rights record.
The response from New Delhi came days after Asif warned that Pakistan could resort to military action if its water security was threatened. India has already maintained that its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.
Addressing the media during the weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal dismissed the comments and said Pakistan was attempting to shift focus from its internal issues.
“We have seen reports regarding the Pakistani Defense Minister’s remarks. These statements are nothing more than attempts to hide Pakistan’s own failures and divert attention from its human rights violations. We completely reject these baseless allegations,” Jaiswal said.
He also pointed to the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, describing it as the result of years of economic exploitation, denial of basic rights, and administrative oppression in territories under Pakistan’s illegal occupation.
Jaiswal further alleged that Pakistani authorities have subjected civilians to harsh measures, including restrictions on essential supplies and medicines, internet shutdowns, and the use of force against unarmed people.
“Several lives have been lost because of these actions. We hope the international community will hold Pakistan accountable for its conduct and human rights violations,” he added.
What Khwaja Asif said
Asif made the remarks amid Pakistan’s ongoing water challenges and domestic political pressures.
After India reiterated its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty suspended, Asif told ARY News on Saturday, “The moment we believe our national security is under threat, and water security is part of national security, we will go to war against India.”
India suspended the treaty in May last year as part of a series of measures taken against Pakistan following the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives.
Asif further claimed that Pakistan would consider military options if it found evidence that India was moving aggressively to disrupt its water supplies.
While many experts have attributed Pakistan’s water crisis to long-standing management issues, Asif accused India of using water as a weapon, manipulating flows in the Chenab River and withholding crucial data.
About the Indus Waters Treaty
Brokered by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty serves as a framework for water sharing and information exchange between India and Pakistan regarding the Indus river system and its tributaries — the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
Under the agreement, Pakistan receives rights over the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — while India has unrestricted access to the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.
The treaty also allows India limited use of the western rivers for domestic needs, agriculture, non-consumptive purposes and hydroelectric power generation.
