A damaged Markaz Taiba, LeT's training centre in Muridike, Pakistan destroyed in Ops Sindoor

Lashkar-e-Taiba’s (LeT) deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri, identified as the mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack, has openly threatened Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video message widely circulated on Pakistan-based social media channels.

In the video, Kasuri praises Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, calling him "Field Marshal," and urges him to "teach a lesson" to PM Modi similar to actions taken on May 10, 2025.

Kasuri claims to act "in the name of flood relief work" while vowing retaliation linked to recent floods in Pakistan. He accused India of "water terrorism," alleging that New Delhi intentionally triggered flooding in Pakistan by releasing water uncontrollably. This narrative aligns with rising anti-India propaganda from elements in Pakistan amid heightened tensions over the Indus Water Treaty.

The timing of Kasuri’s threatening remarks closely follows Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech at the UN General Debate on September 26, 2025, where he accused India of disregarding the Indus Water Treaty by unilaterally placing it in abeyance. Shehbaz characterised the treaty's suspension as an illegal act and warned any violation would be considered an act of war by Pakistan.

However, Shehbaz Sharif’s speech conspicuously omitted any reference to Pakistan’s responsibility to curb terrorism emanating from its territory, a key prerequisite India has demanded for reactivating the treaty. Instead, Sharif reinforced Pakistan’s long-standing Kashmir narrative, pledging solidarity with Kashmiri people and promising to end "India’s tyranny" in Kashmir.

India suspended its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty as a retaliatory measure against Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism, particularly after the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians in April 2025. India maintains that Pakistan manipulates treaty processes to deflect international criticism and evade accountability for its support to terrorist groups.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, allocates water rights between the two countries: India controls the eastern rivers Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, while Pakistan controls the western rivers Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. Despite conflicts and wars, the treaty has largely held, but Indian critics consider it unfavorable to India’s water interests.

By placing the treaty in abeyance, India exercises its sovereign right under international law, linking the treaty’s reinstatement to verifiable cessation of Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism. The recent statements by both Pakistan’s political leadership and terrorist proxies underscore the coordinated use of the water dispute to further political and militant narratives against India.

Based On ANI Report