Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (Image credit: ANI)
Pakistan’s former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday issued a strong warning to India over its unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying Pakistan would not hesitate to respond if its water rights were violated. Speaking during the budget session of the National Assembly, the Pakistan People’s Party president said: “India has two options: share water fairly or we will take it from the six rivers.He described India’s decision to suspend the 1960 treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack as illegal and provocative.Bilawal argued that there is no clause allowing unilateral withdrawal. “India’s claim that the treaty is in abeyance has no legal basis. According to the UN Charter, cutting off water is a form of aggression,” he said, warning that if India followed this path, it could lead to open conflict.“We don’t want war, but if water is used as a weapon… Pakistan will be forced to act, and we are in a position to defeat India just as we have done before,” he said.Bilawal urged India to resume dialogue, particularly on counter-terrorism coordination. “Without compromise, violence will increase in both countries,” he warned, adding that Pakistan’s own fight against terrorism had been undermined by Indian attempts to “politicize the issue.”