ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Water Resources informed the National Assembly that Pakistan’s engagement at the United Nations on India’s weaponisation of water has been pursued through formal statements, ministerial-level interventions and right-of-reply exchanges, rather than through a single formal demarche instrument.
In a written reply to a question by Dr Sharmila Faruqui during Question Hour in the National Assembly, who asked about Pakistan’s formal diplomatic demarche at the UN following condemnation of India’s “weaponisation of water” and evidence regarding India’s $60 billion storage plan, the Ministry of Water Resources stated that Pakistan’s principal UN-level engagement was at a high-level World Water Day event held from March 18–22, 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York.
The Ministry said Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr Musadik Malik addressed the event via video message, placing on record Pakistan’s condemnation of India’s unilateral decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance. He warned that water politicisation is a humanitarian issue. At the same event, Pakistan’s Second Secretary to the UN, Ms Aleena Majeed said no clause allows unilateral abeyance or alteration, terming India’s actions “weaponisation of water” that endangers millions. She called for full implementation of the treaty and rejected India’s terrorism allegations as baseless. The Ministry said the award acknowledged Pakistan’s hydrograph data on Chenab flow disruptions in May 2025. Prior to this, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, in December 2025, told the diplomatic corps that India had manipulated river flows in breach of the IWT. He said these incidents were placed on record and invoked PCA rulings affirming that the treaty remains fully binding.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee stated in April 2025, following India’s abeyance announcement, that any attempt to stop or divert Pakistan’s water share would be considered an act of war, a position communicated through diplomatic channels. It is noted that while Pakistan has repeatedly raised the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) issue at the UN and through multilateral forums, it has not yet pursued a formal juridical demarche such as a UN Security Council complaint under Article 33 or a request for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice. Instead, Pakistan has relied on the treaty’s dispute resolution framework, including the Court of Arbitration and and the Neutral Expert, both of which have issued rulings supporting Pakistan’s position.
Pakistan placed before the Court of Arbitration evidence that India’s programme, if fully implemented, would comprise 201 hydropower projects on the western rivers, including 63 on the Indus, 64 on the Jhelum and 74 on the Chenab. The August 8, 2025 Award recorded Pakistan’s estimates of over 20,339 MW installed capacity and 3,721.14 MCM gross storage, including 2,239.74 MCM live storage, with the Chenab component alone accounting for over 3,637.54 MCM gross and 2,220.66 MCM live storage.
The Court held that India’s “abeyance” position does not affect its jurisdiction or that of the Neutral Expert, and that Article XII(4) keeps the treaty in force unless formally terminated. Pakistan’s memorial explains that the Kharif season runs from April to September, that more than 80% of western river flows occur during Kharif, and that the April–June sowing period is particularly sensitive because Pakistan depends heavily on timely inflows for irrigation.
In its August 8, 2025 award, the Court of Arbitration accepted Pakistan’s core position, ruling that India must “let flow” the western rivers for Pakistan’s unrestricted use under Article III, with hydropower treated as a limited exception. It also imposed strict interpretations on key design identified by Pakistan as potential control mechanisms. The findings support Pakistan’s view that India’s cumulative projects could increase its ability to regulate downstream flows during critical agricultural periods if misused. The Court applied strict interpretations to key hydraulic design features, supporting Pakistan’s view that India’s western rivers projects could increase downstream flow regulation if misused. It is apprised that water availability has declined significantly from about 5,260 cubic metres per capita in 1951 to nearly 819 cubic metres per capita at present, placing the country in the category of water-scarce nations. Pakistan continues to challenge these projects through the PIC and Indus Waters Treaty mechanisms, including the Court of Arbitration and Neutral Expert in cases like Kishenganga and Rattle.
