Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad could resort to military action against India if it believes the country’s water security is under serious threat, escalating rhetoric amid the ongoing dispute over the Indus river system.
In an interview with ARY News, Asif said Pakistan considered water resources a part of its national security and would not hesitate to respond if it felt its access to river waters was being affected.
“The moment we feel that our national security, and water is part of our national security, is being threatened, we will go to war against India. Definitely,” Asif said.
He alleged that India was moving towards using water as a strategic instrument and claimed that any attempt to interfere with water flows meant for Pakistan would have serious consequences.
The remarks come amid heightened tensions over the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, a World Bank-mediated agreement that regulates the sharing of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan.
India placed the treaty in abeyance after the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, in which 26 people were killed. New Delhi accused Pakistan-backed terrorists of carrying out the attack and said the treaty would remain in abeyance until Islamabad takes credible and verifiable action against cross-border terrorism.
The development followed a series of strong statements from Indian leaders on the issue of river waters. Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil said India would ensure that its water resources were used in the national interest and asserted that “not a single drop” of India’s share of Indus waters should flow outside the country.
The Indus Waters Treaty has long been considered one of the most important agreements between the two neighbours. Under the pact, India has control over the eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, while Pakistan has rights over the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab.
The western rivers are crucial for Pakistan’s agriculture and irrigation network, making any dispute over their flow politically and economically sensitive for Islamabad.
During the interview, Asif also claimed that Pakistan had previously conducted multiple inspections related to water-sharing arrangements and accused India of withholding information on river flows. However, he acknowledged that he was not aware of all developments that may have taken place over the past year.
Pakistan has repeatedly objected to India’s decision to keep the treaty in abeyance, arguing that any disruption to river flows could affect millions dependent on the Indus basin.