Indus Waters Treaty: Ishaq Dar Says Pakistan Rejects India Suspension as Invalid

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar says Pakistan rejects India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, arguing the 1960 World Bank-brokered pact remains valid and binding. Speaking in Islamabad, he called the treaty a key instrument for regional peace and cooperation, warning that attempts to restrict Pakistan’s allocated waters could harm security.

Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that Pakistan rejects India’s move to revoke the Indus Waters Treaty. Dar said the agreement stays "valid, binding and operative\". India suspended the World Bank-brokered treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025. The attack killed 26 civilians. Pakistan’s remarks came during a seminar in Islamabad.

The Indus Waters Treaty has set rules for sharing the Indus River system since 1960. It covers the Indus River and its tributaries for both countries. India’s suspension was described as a punitive step after the April 2025 attack. The treaty was signed on September 19, 1960. It followed nine years of talks on cross-border river disputes.

Indus Waters Treaty dispute after India suspended the pact

Dar said a treaty without an exit clause cannot be stopped by one side alone. Dar said, \"No party can unilaterally suspend or terminate its obligations under a treaty that contains no such provision.\" The statement was reported by Radio Pakistan. Dar was speaking at a seminar focused on the Indus Waters Treaty and its impact.

Dar also described the Indus Waters Treaty as more than a technical water deal. Dar said it served regional peace, stability and cooperation. Dar added that shared rivers should connect countries, not divide them. Dar said the framework should rely on cooperation, dialogue and respect for international law. Dar said this approach should protect present and future generations.

Indus Waters Treaty and warnings on regional peace

Dar said any effort to deny Pakistan its allotted share would affect the wider region. Dar said such steps could have serious effects on peace and security. Dar linked water access to stability between neighbours. Dar did not announce new measures, but stressed the treaty’s continuing force. Pakistan’s position was presented as a legal and security concern.

Indus Waters Treaty and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s convention proposal

At the same seminar, Pakistan Peoples Party PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari spoke about the Indus River. Zardari said that the Indus River was not for negotiations. Zardari, a former foreign minister, proposed an international convention against the weaponisation of waterways. Zardari said the rules should block states from using rivers and canals as pressure tools.

Zardari said the principle should apply beyond South Asia. Zardari listed the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, the Nile, the Tigris, the Euphrates and the Indus. Zardari compared the Indus River’s strategic value with the Strait of Hormuz. Zardari asked, if peace can not be achieved between the US and Iran with the Strait of Hormuz shut, then how can any ceasefire between India and Pakistan hope to endure without the IWT being restored?

India and Pakistan have relied on the Indus Waters Treaty to manage shared rivers for decades. Pakistan’s leaders said the treaty remains central to stability and legal cooperation. The comments followed India’s April 2025 suspension after the Pahalgam attack. The seminar in Islamabad highlighted legal claims and broader security concerns linked to water sharing.

With inputs from PTI