Pakistan slams India’s treaty move as ‘water warfare’

A Pakistani minister has condemned India’s suspension of a decades-old water-sharing treaty as an act of "water warfare", marking a significant deterioration in already strained ties between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The remarks followed a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on Tuesday, where 26 civilians were killed at a tourist site in the Pahalgam area. It was the worst attack on civilians in nearly two decades.

In the aftermath, India announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a key water-sharing agreement in place since 1960, and the closure of the only land crossing between the two countries. Additionally, India will reduce its diplomatic presence in Islamabad and expel defence officials from Pakistan’s mission in New Delhi.

Pakistan's Power Minister termed the move a “cowardly and illegal” step, labelling it as an act of "water warfare."

The treaty, mediated by the World Bank, governs the use of the Indus River system and has remained intact through two wars and multiple diplomatic standoffs.

Indian authorities also summoned Pakistan’s top diplomat to deliver notice that all defence staff must leave within a week. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has convened an all-party meeting to discuss the government’s next steps.

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif planned to chair a National Security Committee meeting to finalise Pakistan’s response.

India and Pakistan both control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full. Since India revoked the region’s special constitutional status in 2019, bilateral relations have further deteriorated, with Pakistan not appointing an ambassador to New Delhi since.

While India accuses Pakistan of backing militancy in Kashmir, Islamabad maintains it offers only diplomatic support to those seeking self-determination.

Despite recent declines in violence and a rise in tourism, the latest attack has reignited longstanding hostilities over the region.