Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar urged India to restore the 1960 [2] Indus Waters Treaty during a United Nations Security Council debate in New York.
The dispute centers on the suspension of the water-sharing agreement, which Pakistan says creates grave security, environmental, and humanitarian risks for its population. Because the Indus River basin is critical for agriculture and drinking water, any disruption to the treaty's framework threatens regional stability.
Speaking on June 30, 2025 [1], Dar said India should rethink policies he described as hostile and misguided. He said the current approach by India undermines regional peace and fails to address the shared necessity of water management.
According to reports, the suspension of the treaty puts approximately 240 million [2] people at risk. The water-sharing mechanism was designed to prevent conflict over the river system, but Pakistan argues that India's current actions ignore the spirit of the 1960 [2] agreement.
Dar's address coincided with an event marking the 52nd anniversary [1] of a regional milestone. He said that the restoration of the treaty is essential to avoid a humanitarian crisis and to ensure that environmental protections are maintained across the border.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the international community must recognize the volatility of the situation. He said that the current trajectory of India's policies is not sustainable for the long-term peace of South Asia—a region already strained by historical tensions.
Pakistan has long maintained that the treaty is a legal obligation that must be upheld regardless of political disputes. Dar said that the suspension of the agreement is a violation of international norms and an act of hostility toward the people of Pakistan.
“The suspension of the treaty puts approximately 240 million people at risk.”
The Indus Waters Treaty has historically served as one of the few functional agreements between India and Pakistan, surviving multiple wars. By bringing the issue to the UN Security Council, Pakistan is attempting to internationalize a bilateral water dispute, signaling that it views water security as a matter of national survival rather than a mere diplomatic disagreement.
