DUSHANBE – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday issued a stern warning to India against unilaterally suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, asserting that Pakistan will not permit the red line to be crossed by turning water into a political weapon and threatening millions of lives.
Addressing the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation in Tajikistan, attended by over 2,500 delegates from 80 UN member states and 70 international organizations, the prime minister declared that Pakistan would firmly resist any move to abrogate or hold the historic water-sharing treaty in abeyance.
“India’s unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Water Treaty is deeply regrettable. Millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains,” he stated, emphasizing that the weaponization of water represents an alarming new low in international affairs.
The prime minister’s wide-ranging address underscored Pakistan’s extreme climate vulnerability, especially with over 13,000 glaciers contributing nearly half of the annual flows of the Indus River system. “The five great rivers—Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej—depend on the stability of glacial systems. Pakistan is among the most climate-vulnerable nations,” he warned.
Recalling the devastating floods of 2022 caused by accelerated glacial melt, PM Shehbaz stressed that such calamities could become more frequent unless urgent climate action is taken. He also urged developed countries to fulfill their climate finance commitments, emphasizing the need for investment in resilience, early warning systems, and disaster preparedness.
Reflecting on personal memories of swimming in the River Ravi, the prime minister highlighted how glacial rivers such as Ravi and Tajikistan’s Vakhsh sustain life across regions and symbolize a shared ecological destiny. “Let us protect and preserve nature’s precious bounties for our planet and our peoples,” he concluded.
The conference, hosted by the Government of Tajikistan with UN and international partners, marked the 2025 International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation and was hailed as a historic moment for climate ambition and international cooperation.