Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has warned that any attempts to interfere with Pakistan’s share of the Indus River waters will be seen as an “act of war,” highlighting tensions with India over the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. During his address at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Sharif expressed gratitude to former US President Donald Trump for his “timely intervention” during a military confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025, which he claimed averted a wider conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations.
Sharif underscored the importance of avoiding such confrontations in the future and defended Pakistan’s military actions as self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Despite Sharif’s claims, India maintained that the May 2025 ceasefire resulted from direct bilateral communications, denying any role played by a third party. Pakistan’s leader praised his country’s armed forces for their response during the conflict.
The Indus Waters Treaty, a key agreement signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, governs the distribution and utilization of the Indus river system’s waters. Sharif criticized India’s decision to put the treaty in abeyance, arguing it has no legal basis and emphasized the river system’s vital role for Pakistan and the broader region. He claimed international legal developments have bolstered Pakistan’s stance on the treaty’s continued validity.
In response, India addressed the UN, accusing Pakistan of perpetuating cross-border terrorism, warning of consequences for such actions. India reiterated its sovereign right to defend itself against terrorism and dismissed Pakistan’s allegations, asserting that repeated accusations do not alter its position on cross-border terrorism.