New Delhi: Pakistan has raised the issue of the Indus Waters Treaty at the United Nations. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis Philémon Yang in New York and brought up concerns over India’s decision to put the treaty into abeyance following deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
He said decisions taken by India on the Indus agreement could affect regional stability. He conveyed that India’s approach was in violation of the longstanding water-sharing pact. He appealed for international attention, urging the United Nations and other global institutions to take note and step in.
According to reports, Dar placed the focus of his meeting on India. He briefed Yang about India’s recent moves, the pressure on Pakistan due to water-related decisions and developments like Operation Sindoor. He said Pakistan was facing serious difficulties as a result.
Pakistan currently holds the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. Officials in Islamabad see this as an opportunity to push long-standing concerns onto the international platform. Alongside the water issue, Dar also raised Kashmir, repeating Pakistan’s earlier statements about alleged human rights violations and asking for international involvement.
Dar called for peaceful resolution of all disputes between India and Pakistan. He said talks based on international law, UN Security Council resolutions and the UN Charter were the way forward.
The current round of tensions began in April after an attack on tourists in Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow that left 26 dead. India responded by reducing engagement with Pakistan at multiple levels. One of the steps taken was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs how river water is shared between the two countries.
India has since moved to stop water that was previously allowed to flow into Pakistan under the agreement. This has triggered concern in Islamabad, where officials fear the consequences of disrupted access to water.
At the United Nations, Pakistan has framed its case not only as a bilateral dispute but as an international matter requiring attention. The treaty, signed decades ago, has survived wars and political upheaval. Its breakdown, Pakistan says, must not go unnoticed.
