(Web Desk) Indian Home Minister Amit Shah has declared that the Indus Waters Treaty will never be restored, adding that the water currently flowing to Pakistan will be diverted via canals to Rajasthan. “Pakistan will no longer receive the water it has been getting,” he stated.
Amit Shah said that New Delhi will never reinstate the Indus Waters Treaty with Islamabad and that water destined for Pakistan will be redirected for domestic use.
In an interview with the Times of India, Shah claimed that Pakistan was receiving water “illegitimately”, and that it would never get that water again.
It is important to note that internationally recognised laws grant downstream countries the right to river water, meaning Pakistan has a legitimate claim over these rivers, which flow through its territory.
Pakistan has repeatedly stated that the Indus Waters Treaty does not allow unilateral withdrawal, and any attempt to stop river water flowing to Pakistan will be considered an act of war.
The Punjab government in Pakistan is also exploring legal options under international law to challenge India’s decision to suspend the treaty.
India suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty after accusing Islamabad of involvement in the deaths of 26 civilians in Pahalgam. The 1960 treaty regulates the usage of water from the Indus River system.
India labeled the Pahalgam incident as terrorism, while Pakistan denied any involvement and even offered transparent investigations, which India refused.
Subsequently, India used the incident as a pretext for aggressive military actions against Pakistan, which were met with a strong response from Pakistan. Following this, India requested the United States to mediate a ceasefire.