India’s unilateral suspension of IWT a ‘blatant act of water aggression’: PM

• PM Shehbaz says Pakistan would also triumph on the water front just as it achieved victory in the recent war
• Sets up a high-powered committee under Deputy PM to oversee funding strategies for new dam projects

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday termed India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as “a blatant violation and act of water aggression,” warning Pakistan will give a befitting response under the decisions taken in the April 24 National Security Committee (NSC) meeting.

Chairing a high-level meeting on water resources at the Prime Minister’s House here, he vowed that just as Pakistan achieved victory in the recent war, it would also triumph on the water front.

The high-level meeting brought together Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Field Marshal COAS General Syed Asim Munir, federal ministers, chief ministers of all four provinces, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, and senior federal and provincial officials.

“This is a battle of justice, and like every battle we have fought with unity, we will defeat India’s water aggression with resolve and wisdom,” said the prime minister. He emphasized that living nations confront challenges head-on and make strategic, lasting decisions to protect their future generations.

PM Shehbaz Sharif said that the Indian threats to weaponize water by attempting to violate the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty are increasing each day. He highlighted that the Treaty, a binding international agreement, does not allow any party to unilaterally withdraw, and India’s claims are politically and legally hollow.

All provincial chief ministers, along with the leadership of AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, strongly condemned India’s water threats and unanimously reaffirmed their support for the federal government’s position. The Prime Minister lauded this united stance, calling it “a reflection of our collective national resolve to protect Pakistan’s water security.”

Emphasizing the urgency of enhancing water storage, PM Shehbaz Sharif ordered the establishment of a high-powered committee under Deputy PM Ishaq Dar to oversee funding strategies for new dam projects. The committee will include all provincial chief ministers, the Prime Minister of AJK, and relevant federal ministers, and is directed to submit its recommendations within 72 hours.

“We will prioritize the construction of non-controversial reservoirs. Wherever there is unanimity, we must act without delay. These dams are not political — they are a national necessity,” the Prime Minister said. He made it clear that any project with cross-provincial consensus will be fast-tracked and completed on a priority basis.

A detailed briefing was given during the meeting on Pakistan’s water infrastructure. Officials informed the participants that construction of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is underway and expected to be completed by 2032, while the Mohmand Dam is likely to be completed by 2027.