NEW DELHI: India’s foreign minister said Thursday a key water treaty with Pakistan would remain suspended until Islamabad ends “cross-border terrorism”, days after the neighbours reached a ceasefire to end four days of fighting.
“The Indus Waters Treaty is held in abeyance and will continue to be held in abeyance until the cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped,” Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said.
India had unilaterally suspended the Indus Water Treaty after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which Pakistan believes was a false-flag operation Modi-led administration carried out to garner political advantages.
Within minutes of the attack, India started propaganda against Pakistan, declaring it responsible for the incident.
Pakistan vehementaly denied the Indian accusations, and called for an impartial probe into the incident.
However, India did not pay any heed to the neighbour’s demands, and as per its cleverly-formed plan, attacked Pakistan on May 6.
In response, Pakistan caused India a major blow as it took down six Indian fighter jets, 80 drones, and damaged several Indian military installations.
Pakistan’s response will be brutal, if India violates ceasefire: ISPR
The losses and the fear of more attacks from Pakistan forced India to knock the doors of the US President, who meditated a ceasefire between the two nuclear powers.
As per the ceasefire agreement, both states were to hold talks to resolve their issues, for which Pakistan said the talks should centre around Kashmir, Indus Water Treaty and terrorism.
Earlier in the day, Pakistan strongly criticised the recent statements by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh about Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, suggesting that International Atomic Energy Agency should take charge of the Pakistan’s nuclear weapons.
The FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan described the comments as “irresponsible” and indicative of New Delhi’s frustration over its conventional military limitations.
Khan issued a sharp rebuke, accusing India of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” after failing to establish military superiority through conventional means.
He stressed that Pakistan’s existing conventional defense capabilities remain fully capable of deterring any aggression.
