Pakistan’s Defence Minister Warns of Hostile Action Over India’s Indus Water Projects
Islamabad, May 3 – Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has issued a strong warning to India, stating that any attempt to build dams or water storage facilities on the Indus River would be considered an act of war.
Speaking in an interview, Asif emphasized that Pakistan would retaliate if India proceeded with such projects, even suggesting that Islamabad could strike first if necessary. His remarks come amid heightened tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, which claimed 26 lives.
India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty shortly after the attack, a move that Pakistan views as aggression. The treaty, signed in 1960, governs water-sharing between the two countries, with 80% of the Indus waters allocated to Pakistan.
Asif’s statement marks another escalation in diplomatic hostilities, with Pakistan vowing to destroy any structure built by India to divert water from the Indus basin. He reiterated that blocking or redirecting water could lead to severe consequences, including food and water shortages in Pakistan.
India has yet to respond officially to Asif’s remarks, but experts warn that the ongoing dispute over water rights could further destabilize relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
