Lifeline under threat

In a region marred by historical animosities and fragile ceasefires, few issues are as potentially explosive as water. And this becomes obvious in the stern warning given by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari: if India attempts to block or restrict Pakistan’s water, war may be the only option left. To some, this may be an OTT response but it is really a necessary reminder of just how close South Asia stands to catastrophe because water – unlike politics – cannot be negotiated away. Bilawal’s remarks are a sobering statement of national survival – "water is our lifeline". His warning follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s provocative assertion that Pakistan will not receive water from rivers over which India claims rights. Coupled with India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) during recent tensions, this rhetoric amounts to a dangerous escalation and a violation of both international law and basic human decency.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered in 1960 with the help of the World Bank, has survived wars, skirmishes and political upheavals. India’s unilateral decision to hold it in ‘abeyance’ not only undermines this vital framework but strikes at the very heart of Pakistan’s agriculture, economy and national security. No country can, or should be expected to, stand idly by while its water supply is weaponised. It is also clear that India’s decision to flout international norms is part of a disturbing trend. Experts have drawn parallels between New Delhi’s tactics and those employed by Israel in its dealings with Palestinians and its neighbours, including Iran. But South Asia is not the Middle East, and Pakistan is not Gaza. Pakistan is a sovereign state with the capacity, will and resolve to defend its lifelines – peacefully if possible, forcefully if necessary.

This is not to suggest Pakistan wants war. Quite the contrary. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari went to great lengths to underline Pakistan’s commitment to peace, even in the face of repeated provocations. His recent diplomatic mission to Brussels, Washington, New York and London was a powerful effort to counter Indian disinformation and draw attention to India’s alarming conduct regarding the IWT. The simple truth is: Pakistan prefers diplomacy but will not bow to coercion. Unfortunately, India continues to act with impunity – sponsoring terrorism on Pakistani soil, launching unprovoked attacks and now attempting to strangle Pakistan’s water resources. The international community, particularly signatories and stakeholders of the IWT, must remind India that treaties are not optional, and aggression cloaked in legal ambiguity remains aggression. The threat of war over water is not hyperbole. In a country where the economy relies heavily on irrigation, and where water scarcity already looms as a long-term existential threat, India’s actions are viewed not as policy disagreements but as acts of war. Pakistan has shown remarkable restraint in recent years. That restraint must not be mistaken for weakness. The entire nation understands the stakes.