Pakistan Threatens India With War Over Water Crisis

Pakistan has threatened to wage war against India over water security after New Delhi maintained its decision to keep the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty suspended.

"The moment we feel that our national security, and water is part of our national security, is being threatened, we will go to war against India. Definitely," Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's defence minister, told ARY News on Saturday. He said Islamabad would consider military action if it found evidence that India was acting at an "alarming speed" to disrupt water supplies.

India suspended the bilateral pact following the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack in Pahalgam in April 2025, which killed 26 people. New Delhi said its stance to keep the treaty in abeyance remains unchanged.

Terrorism and Treaty Suspension

India demands verifiable action over terrorism. New Delhi said the agreement will stay on hold until Islamabad executes reliable and tangible measures to eliminate its transnational terrorist networks.

The World Bank-brokered 1960 Indus Waters Treaty historically permits Pakistan to utilise 80 per cent of the Indus water basin for its agricultural needs, but current mismanagement has left farmlands vulnerable amid widespread domestic instability.

Attempting to deflect blame for the water shortage, Asif accused India of "weaponising water" by manipulating flows in the Chenab River and withholding data.

Despite saying Pakistani teams previously conducted "around 115 inspections", the defence minister admitted he has no current information on developments over the past year.

Mismanagement Fuels Internal Crisis

Pakistan's internal water crisis impacts nearly one-third of its population, particularly in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

Severe canal deficits plague the region, according to official data from Sindh's irrigation department. According yo official data from Sindh’s Irrigation department, the North West Canal is experiencing a shortfall of 64.1 per cent, while the Rice and Dadu canals record shortages of 38 per cent and 82 per cent, respectively.

Water levels at the critical Sukkur Barrage continue to collapse. Local leaders warn the state's inability to resolve internal water distribution disputes will trigger an "economic massacre".