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March 27, 2026
On World Water Day, President Zardari Calls on India to Restore Indus Waters Treaty
Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday called on India to immediately restore full implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in accordance with international obligations.
In a message on World Water Day, President Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the unilateral suspension of the treaty by India.
“This deliberate weaponization of shared water resources is a matter of deep concern. India’s decision to place the treaty in abeyance, disrupt hydrological data-sharing, impede agreed mechanisms and undermines both the letter and spirit of a long-standing international agreement that has governed equitable sharing of the Indus river system for over six decades,” he said.
“Such conduct threatens food and economic security, jeopardizes the livelihoods of millions who depend on these waters and sets a dangerous precedent for the management of transboundary resources under international law,” he said.
The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allocates the three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — largely to Pakistan, and the three eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — to India.
In April 2025, India announced a unilateral suspension of its obligations under the IWT following the attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence.
In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration — an organization that provides a framework for international disputes — had issued a Supplemental Award of Competence, stating that India cannot unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance.
Meanwhile, in his message, the president said that this year, World Water Day drew attention to the theme ‘Water and Gender’ and highlighted that “water insecurity is not experienced equally”.
“Women and girls often carry the heaviest burden when safe water is not available close to home,” he said.
“In many parts of Pakistan, households still rely on distant or unreliable water sources. Women and girls spend long hours each day collecting water, time that could otherwise be spent in school, at work or with their families,” he said.
- APP
Courtesy APP
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