Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday warned India against any designs on the Indus River, saying that it could not snatch “even one drop” of water belonging to Pakistan amid tensions over the share of hydel resources in the region.
India in April held the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension. It later said it was considering court action, citing a violation of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
A supplemental award by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in June held that India could not unilaterally hold the treaty in abeyance. India, in response, said it did not recognise the court or its decisions. A day ago, the PCA issued an “Award on Issues of General Interpretation of the IWT” in the Indus Waters case, stating that India must generally “let flow” the waters of the western rivers for Pakistan’s “unrestricted use”.
Addressing a ceremony in Islamabad Tuesday, the prime minister said: “I want to tell the enemy today that if you threaten to hold our water, then keep this in mind that you cannot snatch even one drop of Pakistan.”
The prime minister warned that if India attempted such an act, “you will be again taught such a lesson that you will be left holding your ears.”
“Our air force shot down six of their jets, among which four of them were Rafales,” PM Shehbaz added.
The prime minister also conveyed his wishes for Independence Day to the representatives of the Christian, Hindu, Sikh and Parsi communities present at the event.
“The brothers and sisters of the minority communities also played an integral role in the movement for Pakistan,” he said, adding that not only did they play a role in the founding of the country, but also played a role in its development of the country.
Speaking on the May conflict between Pakistan and India, the prime minister said: “The way we smashed the enemy in this conflict, they will remember it for a lifetime.”
He called upon the youth to play a role in the development of Pakistan and announced that 100,000 laptops would be distributed amongst the high achievers all over the country.
