Legal and geopolitical experts have emphasized the importance of preserving the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that the use of water as a political instrument could trigger humanitarian, ecological and economic crises across South Asia.
Speaking to media, the experts cautioned that retaliatory hydro-politics could endanger millions of people in a region already facing severe environmental stress and food insecurity. Their remarks came in response to India’s announcement placing the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the killing of 26 tourists in a militant attack in Pahalgam,Indian-administered Kashmir.
India has blamed cross-border militants for the incident, an allegation Pakistan has denied.
Dr.Asif Safdar, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) termed the use of “abeyance” legally ambiguous,saying it does not appear in the treaty nor is it recognized in established international law.
“There is a humanitarian and ecological cost to turning rivers into weapons,”he said,adding that under international legal frameworks,including the Indus Waters Treaty,the Geneva Conventions’ Additional Protocol I and the UN Watercourses Convention, the deliberate disruption of water flows affecting civilian populations could constitute a serious violation of international law.
Dr.Noraiz Arshad, also from BZU’s Political Science Department, warned that using water as political leverage could escalate tensions and undermine a six-decade-old legal framework governing water sharing between the two countries.
He said such actions represented political choices rather than legal necessity and described the situation as a critical test for international law amid rising geopolitical tensions. “Prudence and respect for legal commitments must prevail to prevent further harm,” he said.
Highlighting Pakistan’s vulnerability,he noted that declining reservoir levels and agricultural stress meant even minor disruptions in river flows could have cascading effects on food security, energy production and public health.
Dr.Muqarrab Akbar,Professor of Political Science said that transboundary rivers were inherently linked to regional security and cannot be subjected to unilateral decisions. He warned that any attempt to suspend or violate water-sharing arrangements could have consequences extending beyond the immediate region. The experts noted that the Indus Waters Treaty,brokered by the World Bank in 1960,remains one of the most durable water-sharing agreements between two countries.
Under the treaty,India was allocated the eastern rivers Ravi,Beas and Sutlej while Pakistan received rights over the western rivers Indus,Jhelum and Chenab with limited Indian usage permitted under defined conditions.
They said nearly 80 per cent of Pakistan’s irrigated agriculture depends on the Indus River system with the agriculture sector contributing around one-fifth of GDP and employing a significant share of the labor force.
The experts warned that any prolonged disruption in river flows could impact agricultural output,hydro-power generation, drinking water availability and overall economic stability,underscoring the need to safeguard the Indus Waters Treaty for regional peace and sustainability.