Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: India on Saturday delivered a sharp rebuke to Pakistan at the United Nations, accusing it of sustained cross-border terrorism and “disinformation” on the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, declared that the 65-year-old water-sharing agreement will remain suspended until Pakistan ends its support for terrorism.
Indus Treaty suspended after Pahalgam attack
The suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, was announced on April 23, a day after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir claimed 26 lives. India cited confirmed cross-border linkages in the attack as the immediate reason for freezing the treaty.
“India has always acted responsibly as an upper riparian state,” said Ambassador Harish. “However, Pakistan has repeatedly violated the spirit of the treaty by waging wars and sponsoring terror attacks against India.”
“Over 20,000 Indians have been killed in terrorist attacks over the past four decades. India has shown extraordinary patience and magnanimity,” he added.
Four key points in India’s argument
Harish outlined four reasons for India’s action:
1. Repeated violations: Despite the treaty’s foundation in goodwill, Pakistan has inflicted wars and thousands of terrorist attacks.
2. Evolving context: India now faces increasing security threats, energy demands, and climate-related challenges. Meanwhile, outdated dam infrastructure faces safety issues, and Pakistan has blocked modernization efforts.
3. Obstructionist attitude: India has formally requested treaty modifications over the last two years. Pakistan has refused all proposals.
4. Terror sponsorship: India will not resume the treaty until Pakistan verifiably ends cross-border terrorism.
He also cited the 2012 terror attack on the Tulbul navigation project in Jammu and Kashmir as an example of the continued endangerment of infrastructure and civilian safety.
Operation Sindoor escalated tensions
Tensions between India and Pakistan have surged since the April 22 Pahalgam attack. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. In response, Pakistan launched drone and missile attacks, which India successfully intercepted. Indian forces retaliated with strikes on Pakistani airfields, with a ceasefire finally coming into effect on May 10.
