1 June 2025
New Delhi: India has strongly refuted Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement that Pakistan would not allow India to cross the red line by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, calling on Pakistan to stop blaming India for any alleged breach of the treaty.
Speaking at the first UN Conference on Glaciers held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Friday, India’s Minister of State for Environment, Kirti Vardhan Singh, highlighted that Pakistan’s continuous cross-border terrorism disrupts the effective implementation of the treaty. He emphasized that Pakistan itself is violating the treaty through such actions.
“We are deeply concerned over Pakistan’s misuse of this international forum to raise irrelevant issues beyond its scope. We strongly condemn these attempts,” Singh said.
He further pointed out that since the Indus Waters Treaty was signed, significant changes like technological advancements, population growth, climate change, and persistent cross-border terrorism necessitate a reassessment of the treaty’s terms.
The minister reiterated that the treaty was founded on goodwill and friendship, requiring both parties to honor it sincerely. However, ongoing terrorist activities originating from Pakistan hamper India’s ability to fully utilize the treaty provisions.
“Pakistan should stop blaming India for treaty violations when it is Pakistan that is not abiding by the agreement,” he added.
Earlier, at the same conference, Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif warned that his country would not tolerate India holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, which he claimed could threaten millions of lives for narrow political gains.
