Islamabad: In a stern warning, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has cautioned India against diverting or constructing any infrastructure to alter the flow of shared waters.
Speaking to Pakistan's private broadcaster Geo News, Asif stated that any violation of the Indus Waters Treaty would be considered an act of aggression against Pakistan.
"Violating the Indus Waters Treaty is not a minor matter — it would amount to a declaration of war," Asif said. "Aggression doesn't only come through missiles or gunfire; it has many forms. Blocking water could starve or dehydrate entire populations."
The Defence Minister added that if India attempts any such construction activities, "Pakistan will destroy them." However, he also noted that for now, Pakistan is taking India’s unilateral treaty violations to the relevant international legal forums.
Asif also addressed the recent deadly attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir, which occurred on April 22. India has accused Pakistan of involvement in the incident, an accusation Islamabad strongly denies. Asif said India has yet to present any concrete evidence linking Pakistan to the attack and accused New Delhi of being trapped in its own narrative.
The Pahalgam incident has significantly escalated tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has authorized his forces to respond "at a time and place of their choosing." In response, Pakistan warned that any Indian action would not go unanswered.
The rising tensions have sparked fears of another potential military conflict between the two countries, prompting international calls for restraint, including from the United Nations and the United States.
When asked about the risk of war, Asif said, "It is still too early to say whether the threat of war has been averted or reduced. In 2019, India responded 12 days after the Pulwama attack — we must stay alert."
He also accused Prime Minister Modi of using the crisis for political gain and pointed out that international pressure on India has increased in recent days.
Regarding recent remarks by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who stated that India has the right to respond and that the U.S. supports it, Asif criticized the comments, saying, "He has opened the door for Indian aggression. If India takes even a small step, we will respond decisively."
He added that these may be personal comments by Vance and stressed that official U.S. policy statements come from the White House.
