Pakistan To Take ‘All Appropriate Steps’ For Indus Waters Treaty Rights, Says India ‘Weaponising Water’

<p>Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday asserted that Islamabad would take &ldquo;all appropriate steps&rdquo; to protect its rights under the Indus Waters Treaty, after India suspended the agreement following the Pahalgam terror attack.&nbsp;According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, Dar chaired a high-level meeting on the Indus Waters Treaty, which was attended by Minister for Law and Justice and Water Resources Azam Nazeer Tarar, Attorney General Mansoor Awan, senior officials, and technical experts.</p>
<p>On April 22, terrorists opened fire in Kashmir&rsquo;s Pahalgam, killing 26 people in what has been described as the deadliest attack in the Valley since the Pulwama strike in 2019. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.</p>
<p>Dar criticised India&rsquo;s &ldquo;unilateral and illegal move to hold the treaty in abeyance&rdquo;, stating that it &ldquo;contravened the established norms of inter-state relations, international law, and the treaty&rsquo;s own provisions&rdquo;, news agency PTI reported. He emphasised that the treaty was critical to regional stability and that its sanctity must be preserved. Noting that the waters of the Indus River System remain a lifeline for Pakistan&rsquo;s 240 million people, he deplored Indian attempts to &ldquo;weaponise water&rdquo;.</p>
<h3><strong>Shehbaz Sharif Says Pakistan Would Explore All Options To Ensure Uninterrupted Flow Of Rivers</strong></h3>
<p>Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced that Pakistan would explore all options to ensure the uninterrupted flow of rivers allotted to it under the treaty.</p>
<p>Leading politician Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned, &ldquo;Either water will flow in the Indus River or blood.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Following India&rsquo;s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties with Islamabad on Wednesday, Pakistan responded by threatening to suspend the Simla Agreement and put other bilateral accords with India on hold.</p>
<p>Islamabad also suspended all trade with India, closed its airspace for Indian airlines, and warned that any attempt to divert the water meant for Pakistan under the treaty would be considered an act of war.</p>
<p>Separately, China on Monday said it welcomes all measures to &ldquo;cool down&rdquo; the current situation between India and Pakistan, including a &ldquo;swift and fair investigation&rdquo; into the Pahalgam terror attack, and expressed support for its &ldquo;all-weather ally&rdquo; in safeguarding its sovereignty and security.</p>