Pakistani leader warns "Dariya mein ya toh paani bahega, ya unka khoon" as India suspends Indus Treaty

Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated following India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, a 1960 agreement governing the distribution of water from the Indus River system. The suspension came in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack on April 22 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which left 26 tourists dead. The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-based terror groups and responded by taking a series of punitive measures, including downgrading diplomatic ties and halting the treaty.

The Indus Water Treaty, which allocates control of the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) to Pakistan and the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) to India, has been a key point of cooperation between the two nations for over six decades. However, India’s Ministry of Jal Shakti issued a formal notice to Pakistan, citing the ongoing support for cross-border terrorism as a violation of the agreement’s spirit. The Indian government also highlighted changes in demographics, the need for clean energy, and evolving water management needs as factors necessitating a reassessment of the treaty’s terms.

Pakistan’s government has rejected India’s move and insists the treaty remains valid. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, delivered a provocative response, asserting that the Indus River is "ours" and will remain "ours." He warned, "Either our water will flow through it, or their (Indians') blood will." Bhutto’s comments were made during a public rally in Sukkur, Sindh, as he sought to rally national sentiment over the issue.

The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty represents a significant shift in bilateral relations, particularly given the longstanding water-sharing framework established by the treaty. The Indian government emphasized that the treaty had been rendered untenable due to the instability caused by Pakistan’s failure to curb cross-border terrorism. Pakistan, on the other hand, criticized India’s decision as an unjustified unilateral action, accusing India of using the terror attack as a pretext to escalate hostilities.

In response to the situation, Pakistani officials have issued strong warnings of potential retaliation. Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif declared that any further Indian attempts to alter the water-sharing arrangement would be met with serious consequences. As both countries dig in their heels, the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty marks a significant point of contention in an already fraught relationship between India and Pakistan.