National: Islamabad erupted with bellicose pronouncements as Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a stark warning to India regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. His words, laced with aggression, asserted that any Indian construction aimed at diverting Pakistan’s water share, as stipulated by the treaty, would face immediate and forceful destruction, unequivocally labeling such an action as an act of aggression against the nation.
New Delhi swiftly countered the rhetoric, with BJP National Spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain dismissing Asif’s threats as the desperate cries of a rattled and powerless figure. Hussain asserted that despite his ministerial title, Asif held little genuine authority, branding him a mere “statement minister” whose hollow threats belied the fear gripping his nation amidst escalating tensions.
The already strained relationship between the two nuclear-armed neighbors has been further inflamed by India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty in the aftermath of the devastating April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which tragically claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The treaty, a lifeline for nearly 80% of Pakistan’s agricultural lands, has now become a critical point of contention, adding another layer of complexity to the already fragile bilateral dynamics.
In a recent interview, Asif doubled down on his aggressive stance, reiterating that any move by India to erect dams or divert water from the Indus basin would be met with a robust and decisive response. “Even an architectural attempt of this kind will be considered aggression, and Pakistan will destroy that structure,” he emphatically stated, leaving no room for ambiguity in his nation’s resolve.
Echoing a hardening stance from New Delhi, India’s Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil had previously declared the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that “not even a drop of water” flows into Pakistan, signaling a significant shift in India’s approach to the long-standing water-sharing agreement in the wake of the recent terror attack.
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