Fri May 30 13:51:08 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned India’s decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, labeling it a “weaponisation of water.” Speaking at the International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Sharif warned that Pakistan would not allow India to endanger millions of lives for political gain by violating the treaty. He highlighted Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate change and glacial melt, noting the country’s dependence on the Indus River system and the devastating floods of 2022. Sharif also criticized the use of conventional weapons in Gaza and emphasized Pakistan’s concern as home to over 13,000 glaciers contributing to the Indus River.
**News Article:**
**Pakistan Warns India Against “Weaponising Water” Over Indus Waters Treaty**
*Dushanbe, Tajikistan -* Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a stern warning to India today, condemning the country’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) as a “weaponisation of water.” Addressing an international conference on glacier preservation, Sharif stated that Pakistan would not allow India to jeopardise the lives of millions for political gain by disregarding the treaty.
The IWT, signed in 1960, governs the sharing of water from the Indus River basin between the two nations. India’s recent move to hold the treaty in abeyance, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, has sparked outrage in Pakistan.
“Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains, and Pakistan will not allow this. We will never allow the red line to be crossed,” Sharif declared at the conference in Dushanbe, attended by delegates from over 80 UN member states.
Sharif also highlighted Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to climate change and glacial melt, emphasizing the country’s dependence on the Indus River system, fed by over 13,000 glaciers. He cited the devastating floods of 2022 as a consequence of glacial melt, despite Pakistan’s minimal contribution to global emissions.
The Prime Minister further drew parallels to the use of conventional weapons in Gaza, adding that water was also being weaponized. The Pakistani government says it considers the Indus River as the “lifeline of our civilisation, culture and economy.”
The international conference, co-hosted by the Tajik government and the UN, focuses on climate ambition, glacier preservation, and international cooperation. Sharif’s strong words underscore the growing tensions between India and Pakistan over water resources amid a changing climate.
First Piper 