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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari claimed that India is violating the Indus Waters Treaty and said that cutting off Pakistan’s water supply amounts to an act of war.
A file photo of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (Photo: AP)
Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has claimed that India is laying the ground for the first nuclear war over its action on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
“In the age of climate challenges that are to come, water scarcity and water wars used to be a theory. India shutting off Pakistan’s water supply is laying the foundations for the first nuclear water war,” the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman said while addressing the Middle East Institute in Washington, according to Dawn.
“We have said that cutting off our water supply would be an act of war,” he added.
“We don’t say it in a jingoistic manner. We don’t say it with any relish. It is an existential crisis for us. Any country on the planet, no matter their size, their strength or their ability, would fight for their survival and fight for their water,” Bilawal said, adding that “India must abide by the IWT and the US and other countries must take a firm stance to not allow it to violate the treaty.”
“If India is allowed to cut off our water, that means that every upper riparian with hostilities to a lower riparian now has a carte blanche,” Bilawal added.
Bilawal, at the event, also said his country was expecting India to abide by “the old treaties and take back their decision vis-a-vis the IWT”.
“And if our dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of peace are to be successful, if we are to talk to India, have a positive dialogue with India, make new arrangements, new deals, perhaps even new treaties with India, then surely they first must abide by the old treaties and take back their decision vis-a-vis the IWT,” the report quoted Bilawal as saying.
The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank and signed in 1960, governs the distribution of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. The treaty has withstood multiple wars and diplomatic crises, but recent tensions between the two countries have prompted fresh discussions on its future.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who is leading a team of experts to inform the world about the recent conflict with India, was also called out by a journalist in New York over his comments on the alleged “demonisation” of Muslims in India.
During a question-and-answer session, Egyptian-American journalist Ahmad Fathi, UN correspondent of American Television News (ATN), asked Bilawal about his comments on India’s treatment of Muslims and reminded him that it was an Indian Muslim military officer who was briefing the media during the conflict.
“Let me start with a statement you made today, saying that the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir is being used as a political tool to demonise Muslims in India. Sir, I have watched the briefings on both sides, and as far as I recall, there were Muslim Indian military officers who were conducting the briefing on the Indian side,” Fathi said.
He was about to ask his second question when Bilawal stopped him mid-sentence.
The Pakistani leader then went on to criticise India and continued his usual rhetoric.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.
Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side strongly responded to the Pakistani attempts by inflicting heavy damage to a number of key Pakistani military installations, including air bases, air defence systems, command and control centres and radar sites.
On May 10, the militaries of the two countries agreed on an understanding to end the hostilities.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
Vani Mehrotra is the Deputy News Editor at News18.com. She has nearly 10 years of experience in both national and international news and has previously worked on multiple desks.
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