Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday cautioned against using water as a tool of pressure, urging countries to respect water-sharing agreements and protect people living downstream. Speaking at the COP31 climate summit in Antalya, Turkiye, he also called on world leaders to provide grant-based financing to countries hit by severe climate disasters.
Addressing the United Nations climate conference, Shehbaz said international cooperation was vital to shielding vulnerable populations from the mounting effects of climate change. He told delegates that water should never become a weapon and that no nation should endanger the lives and livelihoods of downstream communities.
Shehbaz warns against weaponising water at COP31
Shehbaz said water-sharing agreements must be fully respected, both in their wording and their purpose. He did not name India in his remarks. However, they came amid an ongoing dispute over New Delhi’s decision to place the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance in April 2025.
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Pakistan has repeatedly rejected that move. Islamabad has warned that any disruption to its share of the Indus river system could threaten farming, livelihoods and water security for millions of people.
The prime minister also argued that developing nations, although they contribute relatively little to global emissions, continue to carry a disproportionate share of the harm caused by extreme weather. “People who have contributed the least to climate change bear its heaviest consequences,” he said.
Calls for grant-based climate finance without added debt
Shehbaz asked for international climate assistance that would allow vulnerable economies to rebuild without taking on further borrowing. “When climate disasters strike, vulnerable countries need timely help and finance that does not deepen their debt,” he said.
He urged developed countries and international institutions to widen the use of grants, encourage public-private partnerships and significantly raise funding for climate adaptation and resilience.
Memories of the 2022 and 2025 floods shape the appeal
Recalling the floods of 2025, Shehbaz described a young Pakistani man whose wedding was just two days away when flash floods tore through his village. His family home, which had been preparing for celebrations, instead became a place of mourning, he said. He added that he had met families who lost homes, livelihoods and loved ones, and said their suffering reflected the experience of millions across the developing world.
He also pointed to the catastrophic floods of 2022, which submerged nearly a third of Pakistan, affected around 33 million people and killed more than 1,700. According to the prime minister, the disaster caused economic losses exceeding $30 billion and destroyed crops and infrastructure across large parts of the country.
“Four years ago at the United Nations, I warned that what happens in Pakistan will not stay in Pakistan,” Shehbaz said. “Unfortunately, that warning has become a stark reality. The future we feared has become the present we are living.” He stressed that climate change does not respect borders and demands a coordinated global response. “Climate change knows no borders. No nation can face it alone. Solidarity must mean real action,” he added.
Pakistan outlines solar expansion and emissions goals
Setting out Pakistan’s climate commitments, Shehbaz said the country had added more than 20 gigawatts of distributed solar capacity over the past two years. He said clean energy now makes up nearly 55 percent of Pakistan’s energy mix. He added that the government was expanding electric mobility and aiming to cut projected emissions by roughly 50 per cent by 2035.
The prime minister also highlighted the Chashma-5 nuclear power project, which he said would add 1,200 megawatts of low-emission electricity once it becomes operational. He cautioned, however, that national efforts cannot replace a fair global response, especially for countries facing repeated disasters and tight finances.
Shehbaz thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the people of Turkiye for hosting COP31. He acknowledged Australia’s role in leading the negotiations and expressed gratitude to Turkiye for its support during the floods of 2010 and 2022.
Closing his address, he asked leaders to judge the summit by its practical results. “At COP31, let our success be measured not by the promises we make here, but by the families we protect, the resources we deliver and the meaningful action we sustain,” he said.
