Pahalgam attack: Sherpao slams India for suspending Indus Waters Treaty

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Saturday said India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.

A press release said that he made these remarks while speaking at a meeting of QWP Lower Dir office-bearers at Watan Kor here.

Aftab Sherpao said India made baseless allegations against Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam attack. He said India was trying to divert attention from its security failure in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack by suspending the Indus Water Treaty. He said Pakistan was capable of giving a befitting reply to India in case of any misadventure. “India cannot put pressure on Pakistan by taking such extreme steps and blaming Pakistan without any proof,” he said, adding the entire nation stood by the armed forces to defend the motherland.

Commenting on the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mines and Minerals Bill 2025, Aftab Sherpao said some elements were out to capture the resources of the province, adding that QWP would go to any extent to protest against the passage of this controversial legislation. He said that this bill was against the spirit of the constitution and the 18th Amendment. He said the Centre had no right to have control over the resources of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Criticizing the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), he said they were interested in securing the release of Imran Khan from jail. However, he maintained that the PTI should follow due legal process instead of indulging in protests and wasting the provincial resources on staging political rallies.

He said law and order had deteriorated to the extent in the southern districts that even the government employees could not travel freely.

He said the federal and provincial governments were spending millions of rupees on useless advertisements, adding that this practice should be stopped.

Aftab Sherpao said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not getting its due share of water under the Water Apportionment Accord 1991.

About the recent increase in remittances, the QWP said that most of the money had been sent by the Pakhtuns working in the Gulf States, which negated Imran Khan’s claim of stopping remittances and it served as a vote of no confidence against him.