Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday local time, issued a stark warning that any attempt to stop, impede or divert Pakistan's share of waters from the Indus River system would be treated as an act of war.

Sharif described the shared waters of the Indus River system as the lifeblood not only for the people of Pakistan but for the entire region, emphasising the critical importance of the river network for agriculture, energy and livelihoods across South Asia.

He alleged that India's unilateral decision to hold the existing Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance had no legal basis whatsoever, reiterating Islamabad's position that the 1960 agreement remains valid, binding and fully operative.

Sharif claimed that both India's claims and actions regarding the treaty had been rejected by United Nations experts and, more recently, by the Court of Arbitration at The Hague, stating that Pakistan's legitimate stand had been vindicated beyond any ray of doubt.

Water must never be weaponised, Sharif said, adding that rivers should nourish nations, not divide them, before delivering his firm warning that India must make no mistake about Pakistan's resolve to protect its water rights.

The Indus Waters Treaty, a water-sharing agreement between India and Pakistan, was signed on 19 September 1960 and concerns the utilisation of waters of the Indus system of rivers, allocating the three eastern rivers to India and the three western rivers to Pakistan.

The treaty governs the sharing of river waters between the two countries and was placed in abeyance by India following the Pahalgam attack, marking a significant development in India-Pakistan water-sharing arrangements and triggering international arbitration.

On 31 August 2026, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague unanimously held that India's suspension or termination of the treaty was impermissible under the treaty and international law, ruling that the agreement remains fully in force.

The court found that none of the grounds publicly cited by India could justify suspension or termination of the treaty, and that it remains fully in force, with India obliged to observe its obligations, including those related to the design and operation of hydro-electric projects such as the Kishenganga and Ratle plants.

India has rejected the Hague ruling, accusing Pakistan of misrepresenting facts and spreading falsehoods, and maintaining that the Court of Arbitration has no jurisdiction over its sovereign decisions regarding the treaty.

The dispute comes amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, with Sharif also crediting United States President Donald Trump for timely intervention during the four-day military confrontation in May 2025 that followed India's Operation Sindoor.

Experts have called for modernisation of the Indus Waters Treaty to address contemporary challenges including climate change, population growth and evolving water needs, even as the legal deadlock continues.

The treaty's dispute-settlement mechanisms remain operative, and the court's order concerning interim measures at the Ratle hydroelectric project underscores the ongoing technical and diplomatic complexities surrounding water infrastructure on the western rivers.

Pakistan has circulated letters to the United Nations reaffirming the Court of Arbitration's award and urging the international community to uphold the sanctity of the treaty and the rule of international law.

The Indus River system, fed by Himalayan glaciers and monsoon rains, supports millions of farmers and communities in both countries, making the stable implementation of the treaty vital for regional food security and economic stability.

Sharif's UNGA address framed the water issue as existential for Pakistan, warning that any diversion, stoppage or impediment to Pakistan's share would be treated as an act of war, a formulation that elevates the dispute to the highest level of national security concern.

India maintains that its actions are consistent with the treaty's provisions on run-of-the-river hydroelectric projects and that it has not diverted waters allocated to Pakistan under the agreement. The Court of Arbitration's unanimous decision has been welcomed by Pakistan as a reaffirmation of the treaty's binding nature, while India continues to contest the jurisdiction and findings of the arbitration panel.

As both countries navigate this critical juncture, the Indus Waters Treaty remains a focal point of bilateral relations, with implications extending far beyond water sharing to encompass broader questions of trust, security and cooperation in South Asia.

ANI