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Key Points

Pakistan is facing a potential humanitarian crisis as India suspends the Indus Waters Treaty following a deadly terror attack. The move highlights escalating tensions between the two nations, with India demanding an end to cross-border terrorism. Pakistani politicians are desperately appealing for water resources, warning of potential mass hunger. The dispute underscores the complex geopolitical challenges between India and Pakistan, with water becoming a critical strategic tool.

Key Points: Pak Senator Warns of Water Crisis After India Suspends Treaty

  • India suspends Indus Waters Treaty after Pahalgam terror attack
  • Pakistan faces severe water scarcity with 90% crops at risk
  • Modi maintains firm stance against terrorism and water sharing
3 min read

We would die of hunger, must defuse water bomb hanging over us: Pak Senator

Pakistani politicians plea for water resolution as India halts Indus Waters Treaty over terrorism concerns, highlighting critical national security tensions.

"We would die of hunger if we don't resolve the water crisis now. - Syed Ali Zafar, Pakistani Senator"

Islamabad, May 23

Asserting that the country is staring down the barrel of a major water crisis, yet another Pakistani politician on Friday made a desperate appeal to the Shehbaz Sharif government to "defuse" the "water bomb" that is hanging over the country after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack which resulted in the death of 26 innocent civilians.

"We would die of hunger if we don't resolve the water crisis now. The Indus Basin is our lifeline as three-fourths of our water comes from outside the country, nine out of 10 people depend on the Indus water basin for their living, as much as 90 per cent of our crops rely on this water and all our power projects and dams are built on it. This is like a water bomb hanging over us and we must defuse it," Pakistan Senator Syed Ali Zafar said in his speech during a Senate Session on Friday.

The Indus Water Treaty, which was signed in 1960, governs the sharing of the waters of six rivers — Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — between India and Pakistan.

A rattled Islamabad has been urging New Delhi to reconsider its decision of putting IWT into abeyance with the National Security Committee (NSC) of Pakistan and country's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar making threatening and baseless statements over the past few weeks.

However, invoking its national security prerogative, India has made it clear that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Islamabad "credibly and irrevocably" ends its support for cross-border terrorism.

The move was endorsed by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the apex decision-making body on strategic affairs, immediately after the Pahalgam terror attack, marking the first time New Delhi has hit pause on the World Bank-brokered agreement.

As India launched Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly underlined the government's uncompromising position that "water and blood cannot flow together" and "terror and talks cannot happen at the same time".

"I would also like to underline that any bilateral discussion on Jammu and Kashmir will only be on the vacation of illegally-occupied Indian territory by Pakistan. On the question of the Indus Waters Treaty, I am again repeating myself, it will remain in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism. As our Prime Minister has said, water and blood cannot flow together, trade and terror also cannot go together," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated during a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Thursday.

On the same day, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India's firm stance against terrorism, saying there would be no talks or trade with Islamabad unless it relinquishes its illegal occupation of Kashmir.

"If there is to be any talk, it will be on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). If Pakistan continues to export terrorists, it will be left begging for every penny. It will not get a single drop of Indian water," he said while addressing a massive public rally in Rajasthan's Bikaner on Thursday.

PM Modi also made it clear that "playing with the blood of Indians will cost Pakistan dearly".

- IANS

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Reader Comments

Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article:
R
Rajesh K.
Water is our strategic asset and we must use it wisely. Pakistan can't expect normal water sharing while supporting terrorism. Modi ji is absolutely right - blood and water can't flow together. First stop terror, then talk about water. 🇮🇳
P
Priya M.
While I understand Pakistan's water crisis, they need to understand our security concerns. So many innocent lives lost in Pahalgam...how can we continue business as usual? The treaty was made in good faith but Pakistan broke that trust repeatedly.
A
Amit S.
Tough stance but necessary. For decades we've been generous with water while getting bullets in return. Maybe this will make their establishment realize terrorism has real consequences. Hope common Pakistanis understand it's their army's policies hurting them.
S
Sunita R.
As a farmer's daughter, I know water is life. But security comes first. Pakistan should use this crisis to pressure their leaders to stop supporting terror groups. Our government's stance is firm but fair - stop terror, get water. Simple. 🙏
V
Vikram J.
While I support strong action against terror, we must be careful not to punish ordinary Pakistanis who have no say in their military's actions. Water is a basic human need. Maybe we can find a middle path with strict monitoring?
N
Neha T.
The Indus treaty has survived multiple wars but terrorism is the red line. Pakistan built its entire agriculture on rivers originating in India while sponsoring terror - that's unsustainable. Time for them to choose: Kashmir obsession or food security? Can't have both.

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