Islamabad: Pakistan has vehemently rejected the Indian announcement to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the National Security Committee, held in Islamabad today with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in the chair.
According to Radio Pakistan, the participants discussed the national security environment and the regional situation, particularly in the wake of the Pahalgam attack in the Anantnag District of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The committee highlighted that the Indus Waters Treaty is a binding international agreement brokered by the World Bank and contains no provision for unilateral suspension. They emphasized that water is a crucial national interest for Pakistan, a lifeline for its 240 million people, and its availability will be safeguarded at all costs. Any attempt to stop or divert the water flow belonging to Pakistan as per the treaty will be considered an act of war and met with full force.
The forum expressed concern over India’s behavior, which disregards international conventions and UN Security Council Resolutions, stating that Pakistan may suspend all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Agreement, until India changes its course of action. Pakistan will also close down the Wagah Border Post immediately, suspending all cross-border transit from India through this route. Indian nationals currently in Pakistan under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme are instructed to leave within 48 hours, except for Sikh religious pilgrims.
The NSC declared Indian Defence, Naval, and Air Advisors in Islamabad persona non grata, requiring them to leave Pakistan immediately. The Indian High Commission’s strength in Islamabad will be reduced to 30 diplomats and staff members by April 2025. Additionally, Pakistan will close its airspace to Indian airlines and suspend all trade with India.
The committee emphasized that Pakistan and its armed forces remain fully capable of defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. They stated that India’s recent actions have vindicated the Two-Nation Theory and reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace while safeguarding its rights.
Expressing concern over the loss of tourist lives, the committee reviewed Indian measures and deemed them unjust and politically motivated. The forum reiterated that Kashmir remains an unresolved dispute recognized by multiple UN resolutions, and Pakistan supports the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination. They condemned India’s persecution of minorities and attempts to marginalize Muslims.
The NSC reaffirmed Pakistan’s condemnation of terrorism in all forms and criticized Indian attempts to link the Pahalgam attack with Pakistan. They accused India of state-sponsored terrorism in Pakistan, highlighting the confession of Indian Navy officer Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav as evidence.
Deploring India’s implicit threats, the committee urged the international community to be mindful of India’s extraterritorial assassinations and vowed to pursue justice against those responsible. The NSC called for India to cease its blame game and inflammatory tactics, which only serve to escalate tensions in the region.