'Find ways to defuse it before it's too late': Pakistan politician tells Sharif govt on IWT suspension

After India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam, senior Pakistani opposition leader Senator Ali Zafar warned of serious consequences. Speaking on Friday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader said the country could face famine if the issue is not addressed.

Speaking in the Senate, Zafar said, “Water scarcity is like a war being forced on us. People said that future wars would be about water, and that’s what’s happening now.”

He added, “The Indus River is our lifeline. It’s like a water bomb hanging over our heads. We must find a way to defuse it before it’s too late.”


On April 22, a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. In response, India announced several tough steps against Pakistan, one of them was suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, an agreement on river water sharing.

Under this treaty, Pakistan gets water from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while India uses the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers. However, the rivers flowing into Pakistan provide 80% of its drinking and farming water.

Inputs from PTI