Pakistan has urged India to fully respect the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that New Delhi’s unilateral suspension of the agreement amounts to the “weaponisation of shared natural resources” and poses grave risks to the region’s environment and livelihoods.
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on the environmental impact of conflicts and climate-related security threats, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said India’s move violated a six-decade-old accord that has ensured fair water distribution between the two nations.
“India’s unlawful decision disrupts data sharing and endangers millions who rely on these waters for food and energy security,” Ahmad said. “Such actions erode trust in international water laws and promote coercion through resources.”
He recalled that the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, grants Pakistan rights over the western rivers and India over the eastern ones. The envoy noted that ongoing disputes over India’s hydropower projects on western rivers have long strained ties, leading to arbitration at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. The PCA reaffirmed this year that neither country can unilaterally suspend or modify the treaty.
“We expect India to return to full compliance through established mechanisms,” Ahmad stressed, emphasizing the need to preserve the spirit of cooperation over shared natural resources.
Highlighting the broader connection between climate change, conflict, and security, the ambassador called for the UN Security Council to prioritize early conflict prevention, integrate environmental protection in peacekeeping operations, and ensure ecological recovery in war-torn regions. He also urged for new, grant-based climate financing, warning against measures that deepen debt or replace existing aid.
“Environmental damage is not collateral it is a catalyst for insecurity,” he said, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to turning shared resources into instruments of peace rather than contention.
In a related development, Pakistan voted in favor of a UN resolution to delist Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from the UN 1267 sanctions list, describing it as a vital step toward Syria’s stability, institutional rebuilding, and economic recovery.
Ahmad said the move would help Syria pursue development after years of devastating conflict, while also urging continued dialogue and a Syrian-led political process.
“The Syrian people have suffered for over a decade. Today’s vote is a hopeful step toward their peace and stability,” he noted, warning of persistent threats from terrorism and foreign fighters.
Pakistan reaffirmed its solidarity with Syria, supporting efforts for inclusive nation-building and political reconciliation as part of the UN’s wider plan to restore confidence in the country’s governance.
