By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD
Pakistan has warned that any deliberate attempt to block water flows vital to its survival and development would have “far-reaching consequences” and could be treated as an act of war under international law. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the remarks during a weekly briefing on Thursday, responding to recent comments from Indian officials on water sharing.
He said any move to restrict or divert water essential for agriculture and livelihoods of more than 250 million people would be considered “deeply irresponsible” and taken with the utmost seriousness. The warning came a day after India’s Water Minister CR Patil told ANI news agency that “not a single drop of water will go to Pakistan in the coming years”, adding that work was underway under directives from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Pakistan said such statements reflected a dangerous approach to shared water resources and risked further destabilising the region. The spokesperson also strongly rejected recent Indian statements on Azad Jammu and Kashmir, accusing New Delhi of lacking credibility on the issue while denying Kashmiris their right to self-determination in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
He said attempts to equate the situation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir with developments across the Line of Control were misleading, adding that Pakistan’s side of the region was governed under a democratic and constitutional framework. Reiterating Pakistan’s position, the Foreign Office said water was a matter of national survival and any attempt to obstruct its flow could invoke the right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
Pakistan urged India to meet its international obligations, exercise restraint, and avoid steps that could escalate tensions in an already fragile regional environment.
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