Indus Water Treaty Suspended: Ex-Pak Finance Minister Threatens India

Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari threatened India days after India formally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty owing to the deadly civilian attack that took place in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking in Zukkur alongside the Indus River, Bhutto said, "India has accused Pakistan of the Pahalgam incident, with Modi making false allegations to conceal his weaknesses and deceive his people. He has unilaterally decided to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, under which India had acknowledged that the Indus belongs to Pakistan."

Bhutto then went on to claim that the Indus belongs to Pakistan and it will be theirs forever. It was his subsequent statement that led to significant anger among Indians on social media. Pakistan's ex-finance minister said, "Either water will flow in this Indus or their blood will."

Bhutto's statements come a day after Pakistan's defense minister admitted that the country has supported terrorist groups for more than three decades and declared it a mistake tied to US-related foreign policy decisions.

Tensions between the two nations have sharply escalated since the terror incident. The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack. TRF is believed to be a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. India immediately responded by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and also ordering all Pakistani nationals to leave the country swiftly.

India has given an extension for those holding medical visas until the 29th, and the central government has also ordered states to be on high alert and closely monitor the security. The central government has specifically instructed states in coastal regions to closely monitor any changes.

The Indian government, through its ministry of Jal Shakti, sent formal notice to Pakistan's ministry of water resources. The letter, invoking Article XII(3) of the treaty, pointed to demographic shifts, evolving clean energy needs, and Pakistan's alleged support for terrorism as grounds for a review. India emphasized that the current circumstances no longer allow for the treaty's implementation in the best faith.

"Indus is ours, and it will remain ours. Either our water will flow, or Indian blood will", says Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhuttopic.twitter.com/QrFUt1DF65

— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) April 26, 2025