Pakistan’s Sharif warns any diversion of Indus waters will be ‘treated as an act of war’
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warned at the UN General Assembly that any diversion of Indus River waters by India would be considered an act of war. He also called for diplomatic solutions to regional conflicts and condemned recent attacks in the Gulf.
Why it matters
The statement highlights the volatile geopolitical tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbors and the critical importance of water security in South Asia.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told the UN General Assembly on Friday that any attempt by India to stop, impede or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters “will be treated as an act of war”.
Addressing the General Debate, Mr. Sharif said the shared waters of the Indus River system were the “lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan, but for the entire region”, and that India’s unilateral decision to hold the existing treaty in abeyance had “no legal basis whatsoever”.
He said India’s claims had been rejected by UN experts and the Court of Arbitration.
“Water must never be weaponized. Rivers should nourish nations, not divide them,” he stated.
On the conflict that has roiled the Gulf in February, Mr. Sharif said Pakistan had brought Washington and Tehran together in Islamabad.
Also covering this story
One other newsroom covered this event. We read that version too.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in