Pakistan Faces Water Crisis After Indus Treaty Suspension by India—Sharif Announces Emergency Measures

Amid growing geopolitical tensions, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced urgent measures to increase the country’s water storage capacity following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in April. The move comes as Islamabad grapples with the escalating water crisis and what it calls New Delhi’s “weaponisation” of water.

India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty Over Terror Links

India’s historic decision to halt the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty followed the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, attributed to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group. In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed his stance, declaring that “blood and water cannot flow together,” and moved to suspend the treaty indefinitely, citing Pakistan’s continued sponsorship of cross-border terrorism.

The treaty, which governs the allocation of the Indus Basin rivers, gave India control over the eastern rivers and Pakistan rights to the western rivers, including the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.

Pakistan Calls India’s Action an “Evil Design”

During a visit to the National Emergencies Operations Centre on Tuesday, PM Sharif condemned India’s move, labeling it as an “unlawful and sinister attempt” to destabilize Pakistan.

“India has no authority to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty. This is part of an evil design to harm Pakistan’s interests,” Sharif said, as reported by Dawn.

He further stated that Islamabad will now prioritize domestic efforts to build “non-controversial water storage facilities” to secure the nation’s future water supply.

Plans to Accelerate Dam Construction

Sharif emphasized the urgent need to fast-track long-delayed water infrastructure projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha Dam — a project first proposed in the 1980s but delayed due to financial, environmental, and logistical challenges.

“We will construct water storage capacity with our own resources over the next few years,” he said, highlighting the National Disaster Management Authority’s key role in this initiative.

Rising Anxiety Within Pakistan’s Leadership

India’s firm stance has triggered concern within Pakistan’s political establishment. Former Foreign Minister and PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari warned that any move to block water flow would be perceived as an “existential threat” that could push the two nuclear-armed neighbors toward conflict.

“If India blocks our water, we will have no choice but war,” Bhutto-Zardari stated.

Pakistan Faces Water Crisis as Monsoon Looms

With over 80% of its freshwater supply dependent on the Indus Basin’s western rivers, Pakistan’s agriculture — which consumes 93% of available water — faces severe risks. India’s withdrawal from the treaty also means it will no longer share critical flood data and irrigation statistics, particularly during the vital monsoon season.

As Islamabad scrambles to respond, experts warn that the country’s long-standing water mismanagement, coupled with India’s decisive actions, may trigger a full-blown water crisis unless swift structural reforms and strategic planning are implemented.