Pakistan has strongly rejected what it termed “baseless remarks” by India at the United Nations, accusing New Delhi of undermining the Indus Waters Treaty and politicising water issues.
The unilateral holding in abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty by India last year in April represents a grave departure from this legal and historical legacy.
No provision of the Indus Waters Treaty permits unilateral suspension or modification or so-called “abeyance”. Such… pic.twitter.com/PtVnBeyOkO
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) March 19, 2026
The exchange took place during a high-level UN event marking World Water Day, where Pakistan’s Second Secretary Aleena Majeed exercised her right of reply following remarks by the Indian representative.
Read More: Pitfalls in Re-negotiating the Indus Waters Treaty
During the session, India’s envoy stated that the treaty would remain “in abeyance” until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible action against terrorism. The Indian side also argued that evolving technological, environmental and demographic factors necessitate revisiting the decades-old agreement.
Responding to these claims, Majeed said she was compelled to address what she described as unfounded assertions. She emphasised that the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, has withstood wars, crises and prolonged tensions between the two countries, including disputes over Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
She criticised India’s unilateral move last year to place the treaty in abeyance, calling it a serious departure from established legal commitments. According to Pakistan, the agreement contains no provision allowing either party to suspend or modify it unilaterally.
Read More: Pakistan warns UN over Indus Waters Treaty
Majeed warned that such actions risk the “weaponisation of water,” potentially affecting millions who rely on the Indus river system for their livelihoods. She also referenced proceedings at the Court of Arbitration, noting that a 2025 supplemental award reaffirmed the treaty’s validity and binding dispute resolution mechanisms.
Rejecting India’s allegations of terrorism, she termed them a diversionary tactic and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to international law and full implementation of treaty obligations.