Pakistan on Wednesday raised alarm over India’s plans to divert water from the Chenab River, which flows into Pakistan under an international treaty, saying New Delhi’s alleged clandestine expansion of a tunnel on the river would deprive it of its share of water.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said New Delhi’s Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel and Dulhasti Stage-II expansion violate the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty by diverting water from the Chenab River, the bulk of whose waters have been allocated to Pakistan.
India suspended the treaty last year after attacking Pakistan in May following a militant attack in the disputed Kashmir region, and maintains that the World Bank-brokered agreement is no longer operative.
Spokesperson Andrabi said India had failed to consult Pakistan regarding the Chenab River projects, which he argued would undermine the Indus Waters Treaty.
“These projects suggest that India is seeking to weaponize water,” Andrabi said. “Such actions carry serious consequences not only for Pakistan’s economy but also for regional stability, international peace, and security.”
Pakistan accuses India of weaponising water after treaty suspension
Pakistan said on Thursday two river projects by arch-rival India would “weaponise” water and violate a major treaty between the neighbouring nations, threatening a response if they move ahead. pic.twitter.com/tRoHjts4om
— WarMonitor (@WarMonitorINTL) June 4, 2026
The Chenab is one of three rivers whose waters are largely allocated to Pakistan under the treaty. It flows from mountainous areas under Indian control into Punjab’s agricultural heartland, irrigating farmland used for major crops.
The river is part of the Indus basin system, which meets about 80% of Pakistan’s agricultural, food, and hydropower needs.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Pakistan and India on May 10 following diplomatic intervention by Washington.
Water Wars: Arbitration Court Upholds Pakistan’s Position Amid India’s Treaty Suspension
The 87-hour conflict pushed South Asia to the brink of a major war between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
A Hague-based Court of Arbitration has determined that the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, ruling that neither party can unilaterally withdraw from it.
At Thursday’s briefing, Spokesperson Andrabi said, “any unlawful measure that endangers Pakistan’s water resources, food security, economic interests, or the well-being of its 250 million citizens is unacceptable.”
He added that Pakistan would retain all available options to safeguard its treaty rights and protect its national interests, though he did not specify what measures Islamabad might take.
Muhammad Luqman is Associate Editor at Views News Now. He writes on wide-ranging issues including economy, South Asia, the Middle East, agriculture, economy and innovation. Luqman has worked some of the leading news organizations and won acclaim for his original and research-based works.
