At a recent session of the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan firmly denounced India’s unilateral decision to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, labeling it an act of “water terrorism” that undermines international law and jeopardizes peace and stability in South Asia. The Pakistani delegation emphasized that such actions by New Delhi not only violate the treaty’s provisions but also pose a serious threat to regional harmony and security.
During the debate focused on “Energy, Critical Minerals and Security,” held under the Council’s agenda item on the “Maintenance of International Peace and Security,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, highlighted the broader implications of resource conflicts. He pointed out that competition over natural resources has long been a catalyst for instability and conflict worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for cooperation and responsible management of these vital assets.
Ambassador Ahmad elaborated on the critical role natural resources play in economic development and global prosperity, especially as the world increasingly relies on critical minerals to power the digital economy and facilitate the transition to renewable energy. He warned that the rising demand for such resources is intensifying geopolitical and geo-economic pressures, which, if left unchecked, could disrupt global supply chains, exacerbate tensions between nations, and threaten the sovereignty of states.
Focusing specifically on water, the Pakistani envoy stressed its indispensable value not only for sustaining life but also for fostering sustainable development and economic growth. He condemned the weaponization of water resources, particularly by upstream countries like India, which he accused of deliberately restricting water flow to downstream nations like Pakistan. This tactic, he argued, amounts to a form of coercion that endangers the livelihoods of millions and destabilizes the region.
Ambassador Ahmad reiterated Pakistan’s position that India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty is unlawful and violates international agreements. He urged the international community to pressure India into resuming full compliance with the treaty, which remains legally binding and enforceable, as affirmed by the Court of Arbitration’s ruling scheduled for August 2025. The ambassador emphasized that adherence to the treaty is essential for maintaining peace and cooperation between the two countries.
Beyond water, the Pakistani representative also addressed the broader challenges posed by the intersection of natural resource wealth with fragile governance structures, persistent poverty, and foreign interference. He highlighted how illicit extraction, smuggling networks, and opaque financial transactions in resource-rich but conflict-affected areas fuel violence, weaken state institutions, and deprive populations of legitimate economic benefits.
In closing, Ambassador Ahmad cautioned against allowing the quest for securing resource supplies to devolve into divisive bloc politics or economic coercion. He stressed that efforts to diversify supply chains should not become tools for geopolitical exclusion or containment. Fragmenting global markets, he warned, would undermine both the goals of the global energy transition and the broader objective of collective international security.
