Pakistan Indus Water Warning: Shehbaz Sharif Issues Strong Message at UNGA

Pakistan Indus Water Warning became a major part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s address to the United Nations General Assembly on Friday, September 25. Sharif said any attempt to stop, restrict or divert Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters would be treated as an “act of war.”

Sharif, speaking during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, emphasised the importance of the Indus River system to Pakistan and the region. He also questioned India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, claiming Islamabad does not see the action as legally valid.

Pakistan Indus Water Warning Linked to 1960 Treaty

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed by India and Pakistan on September 19, 1960. The agreement establishes guidelines for the two nations’ usage of water from the Indus river system.

Relations over the pact have deteriorated after India stated that it will postpone implementation in 2025. Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s position before the UN, stating that the pact is still legally binding and functioning.

The matter has also been taken to international arbitration. On August 31, the Court of Arbitration in The Hague concluded that the pact was still in effect and that India could not suspend it unilaterally within the treaty framework. India contested the finding, claiming that the arbitration panel lacked jurisdiction and that its decision to suspend the pact remains in effect.

Sharif invoked international processes to defend Pakistan’s stance. He stated that Pakistan feels its reading of the treaty is backed by recent legal developments.

The Pakistani prime minister also advised against using water as a means of strife. He stated that rivers should benefit people and economies rather than becoming a cause of conflict.

Sharif Praises Trump Over India-Pakistan Conflict

Sharif also used his UN address to commend US President Donald Trump for his participation in India-Pakistan’s military clash in 2025.

He said that Trump intervened when the two nuclear-armed neighbours were on the verge of war. Sharif commended the US president with preventing more violence, saying his intervention came at a key time.

India has already disputed Trump’s assertion of a US mediation role. According to New Delhi, the cease-fire agreement was struck solely between India and Pakistan via their normal military channels, with no third-party interference.

Sharif’s speech at the UN therefore merged the Indus water issue and the 2025 confrontation into a larger debate of India-Pakistan relations.

One of the most powerful elements of his speech was his warning about the river flows, which refocused the international audience’s attention on the long-running treaty conflict.