“Will strike any structure”: Pakistan warns India over Indus Treaty violation

In an escalating war of words between India and Pakistan, Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif has issued a fresh threat to New Delhi, warning that Islamabad would strike any structure built by India on the Indus River if it is seen as a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. His comments come in the wake of India suspending the decades-old water-sharing treaty following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.

Asif, speaking in a televised interview, said that any such move by India would be treated as a form of aggression, warning that Pakistan would not hesitate to destroy the infrastructure. “Certainly, if they attempt to build any structure, we will strike it,” he declared, calling it a non-traditional form of warfare that could deprive millions of water.

India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty was one of several measures taken in response to the Pahalgam attack, where 26 people, most of them tourists, were gunned down. India has blamed the attack on cross-border terrorism, prompting it to downgrade diplomatic ties with Pakistan and halt trade and water-sharing arrangements.

While threatening military action over future construction, the Pakistani defence minister also said his country would first pursue diplomatic and legal channels under the provisions of the treaty. He stressed that Pakistan would approach international stakeholders and forums to challenge any Indian project on the Indus system.

This is not the first time Asif has made incendiary remarks since the Pahalgam attack. Earlier, he warned of the possibility of an "all-out war" and claimed that any Indian military initiative would be met with a proportionate response. Pakistan's information minister had also alleged that India was planning a military strike in the coming days — a claim New Delhi has neither confirmed nor denied.

Tensions remain high between the two nuclear-armed neighbours as both sides trade accusations and threats. India has maintained that its recent steps are driven purely by national security considerations, while Pakistan continues to deny any involvement in the Pahalgam incident.