ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Climate Change Musadik Malik has said that water scarcity has forced farmers to abandon agriculture, adding that not only Pakistan but also Bangladesh is being affected by water-related issues.
Addressing an international seminar on the Indus Waters Treaty, he said the core issue is not simply water shortage or excess flow, but the control of water itself.
He stated that at the Marala Headworks, water flow from India sometimes arrives in extremely low quantities and at other times in flood-like volumes, describing it as a matter of management and control.
Musadik Malik said the issue is not environmental alone but one of justice, as control over water flow is being used as a tool. He also alleged that India is not only controlling water flow but is also among the world’s major polluters.
He further claimed that due to water-related issues linked to India, around 6,000 people have died in Pakistan and thousands have been injured, saying such losses exceed even some wartime casualties.
The minister said the Indus Waters Treaty is one of the strongest international agreements, noting that it has survived three wars between the two neighboring countries. He warned that if such a strong treaty fails, no international agreement can be trusted.
He added that no country should be allowed to hold regional or global peace hostage, stating that Pakistan has already approached the International Court of Arbitration, which has issued clear rulings that no country can unilaterally suspend or terminate the treaty.
According to him, the court has also ruled that India cannot divert or block waters allocated to Pakistan or construct storage facilities on these rivers, while India has refused to accept these decisions.
He warned that if such agreements collapse, upstream countries worldwide may begin blocking water flows, saying the issue is not limited to Pakistan but has global implications.
Musadik Malik said Pakistan has already suffered devastating floods and reiterated that water is not only an environmental issue but a matter of justice, as a large portion of Pakistan’s population depends on agriculture.
He concluded that Pakistan has made it clear it will not compromise on its share of water under any circumstances.
