Islamabad, August 12, 2025: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has issued a strong warning to India over its threat to block Pakistan’s water supply, declaring that “India cannot take even a drop of Pakistan’s water” and vowing a fierce response to any such attempt.
Speaking at an International Youth Day ceremony in Islamabad, the Prime Minister hailed the country’s armed forces for “humbling India” on May 10 by shooting down six Indian aircraft, calling it “a clear lesson to India’s arrogance.” He asserted that “a new Pakistan has been born” following the victory.
Sharif stressed that Pakistan’s future lies in the hands of its youth, pledging merit-based policies and announcing the distribution of 100,000 laptops to talented students. He also paid tribute to minorities for their significant contributions to the education, health, and defense sectors, and congratulated the nation ahead of Independence Day.
The water dispute has escalated since April, when India accused Pakistan of involvement in a deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 people, and subsequently suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Pakistan rejected the move, warning it would consider any attempt to block its water share as an act of war. Islamabad also signaled possible legal action, citing the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague ruled that India cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty. On August 8, the PCA issued a final, binding verdict ordering India to ensure Pakistan’s uninterrupted use of western rivers’ water under the IWT. India has maintained it does not recognize the court or its rulings.
The dispute remains a major flashpoint in Pakistan–India relations, with Islamabad vowing to defend its treaty rights “at all costs.”
