Enough of Cross-Border Terrorism: India Formally Tells Terror Exporter Pakistan Suspension of Indus Waters Treaty

New Delhi: In a bold and decisive move, India on Thursday officially notified Pakistan of its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty immediately. The move, triggered by the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people most of them tourists has raised serious concerns over the long-standing water-sharing agreement between the two nations. 

In a formal letter sent by India's Water Resources Secretary Debashree Mukherjee to her Pakistani counterpart Syed Ali Murtaza, India cited sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan as the reason for this drastic step. 

The letter emphasized that Pakistan's ongoing support for terrorism had directly jeopardized India’s security and ability to fully utilize its rights under the treaty.

India Cites Pakistan's Breach of Treaty Obligations

The letter issued by India outlined how Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terrorism had violated the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 agreement brokered by the World Bank that governs the sharing of water from the Indus River and its tributaries. India’s formal notification stated that Pakistan had failed to respond to India’s request for negotiations as stipulated in the treaty and had shown a blatant disregard for its treaty obligations.

"The obligation to honour a treaty in good faith is fundamental to a treaty. However, what we have seen instead is sustained cross-border terrorism by Pakistan targeting the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir," the letter read.

The letter further reiterated that India had been forced to suspend the treaty due to Pakistan’s unwillingness to engage in negotiations or respect the terms of the agreement.

Pakistan's Threat of 'Water Warfare’

In its retaliatory statement issued earlier in the day, Pakistan expressed outrage over India’s decision to suspend the treaty. Pakistan's National Security Committee (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, declared that any attempt by India to divert water under the treaty would be regarded as an "act of war." 

"Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparians will be considered as an act of war," the statement warned. 

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 under the mediation of the World Bank and allocated the waters of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. Under the treaty, India controls the waters of the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, while Pakistan controls the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers. 

The treaty has largely held over the decades, despite various tensions between the two countries, including wars and territorial disputes over Kashmir. However, with the recent escalation of violence and ongoing cross-border terrorism, India has taken the extraordinary step of suspending the treaty.