Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday warned India against jeopardizing regional stability by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, saying any move to interfere with Pakistan’s water rights would risk planting the “seeds of war.”

Speaking at an international conference in Islamabad on the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, Dar said safeguarding Pakistan’s water resources was a matter of national interest. The conference was attended by international legal and water experts to examine Pakistan’s rights under the treaty and the legal implications of India’s decision to place it in abeyance.

India announced in April 2025 that it was suspending the World Bank-brokered agreement after a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the accusation and insists the treaty cannot be suspended unilaterally.

Dar said the treaty remains legally binding and urged India to address disputes through dialogue, diplomacy, and the agreement’s established dispute resolution mechanisms. He also stressed the need for lasting peace in South Asia.

Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik told participants that accepting India’s stance would undermine trust in international agreements governing shared water resources. He called for a stronger global framework that would impose political, economic, and diplomatic consequences on states violating transboundary water accords.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the treaty as a lifeline for Pakistan’s more than 240 million people, saying the Indus River was crucial to the country’s agriculture, economy, and livelihoods. He added that Pakistan’s leadership would respond effectively to any attempt to block the country’s water supply.