Pakistan has strongly rejected India’s remarks at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), describing New Delhi’s decision to place the decades-old agreement in abeyance as “simply illegal” and contrary to international law.
Read More: India suspends Indus Water Treaty, threatens Pakistan
Speaking during a UNSC open debate on natural resource governance, Pakistan’s First Secretary Ansar Shah responded to comments made by India’s Permanent Representative Harish Parvathaneni, who had linked the treaty to allegations of cross-border terrorism and claimed that such concerns had undermined bilateral cooperation.
Rejecting India’s position, Shah said the treaty contains no provision allowing either party to suspend or place it in abeyance.
“The treaty contains no provision whatsoever permitting its so-called abeyance. India’s unilateral action is simply illegal,” he said.
He further noted that the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) reaffirmed in its August 2025 award that the Indus Waters Treaty remains valid, binding and fully operational, including its dispute resolution mechanisms.
Shah accused India of attempting to use shared water resources as a political tool, arguing that such actions violate international law and pose a threat to regional peace and security.
He also dismissed India’s allegations regarding terrorism, instead accusing New Delhi of supporting militant groups that have carried out attacks inside Pakistan. Shah further criticised India’s policies in Indian-administered Kashmir, reiterating Pakistan’s longstanding position that the territory remains internationally disputed.
Earlier in the debate, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, stressed that natural resources should promote cooperation and sustainable development rather than become instruments of coercion.
He urged the Security Council to ensure that international law and treaty obligations are respected, warning that the weaponisation of shared resources could intensify regional tensions.
Ambassador Ahmad also called on the UNSC to utilise preventive diplomacy, monitoring mechanisms and peaceful dispute resolution tools whenever natural resources are exploited in ways that threaten international peace and security.
Read More: Indus Waters: Pakistan’s Quiet Diplomatic Strike
The exchange highlighted the continuing diplomatic tensions between Pakistan and India over the Indus Waters Treaty and the broader dispute surrounding Jammu and Kashmir.