On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Musadik Malik, raised serious concerns over India’s attempts to politicise shared water resources, actions that contravene established international commitments such as the Indus Water Treaty (IWT). Speaking at the fourth international conference on the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development held in Dushanbe, Malik cautioned that undermining these agreements threatens the water rights of downstream nations.
He firmly stated that “water aggression” is unacceptable and emphasized that no country should wield water as a weapon or unilaterally suspend international accords, thereby depriving other nations of their legitimate water entitlements. Malik called on India to honour the 1960 IWT and adhere to international mediation processes, warning that suspending the treaty would create a perilous precedent for downstream countries worldwide.
In a significant development, Malik expressed concern over the erosion of multilateralism in global governance, noting a shift towards unilateral actions. He highlighted the risk that upstream countries might exploit this trend to exert pressure on vulnerable downstream states by restricting access to shared water resources.
Highlighting water as a fundamental human right, Malik pointed out the particular vulnerability of farmers and rural communities in developing countries to interruptions in water supply. He also drew attention to Pakistan’s escalating climate challenges, describing the country as one of the most severely impacted by global warming. Frequent floods and extreme weather events have caused widespread damage to infrastructure, agricultural lands, and livelihoods across Pakistan.
The minister warned that the increasing occurrence of “super floods” is intensifying economic burdens and exacerbating food security issues due to reduced agricultural productivity. During the conference, Malik underscored the critical need for enhanced regional cooperation on glacial melt and ecosystem conservation. He noted that Pakistan and Tajikistan each host nearly 13,000 glaciers but have lost about 1,000 glaciers as a result of rising global temperatures.
He advocated for stronger cross-border collaboration to monitor glacier retreat and protect shared ecosystems, while promoting dialogue on regional climate and conservation frameworks, including joint wildlife protection efforts. Malik concluded by urging the international community to reinforce commitment to enforcing global water-sharing agreements, emphasizing that ensuring compliance with transboundary water treaties remains a significant unresolved challenge worldwide.
