- Building structure on Indus to be taken as aggression, says Asif.
- Security czar says it won’t be easy for New Delhi to violate IWT.
- Says Modi “staged drama” for votes in upcoming elections in India.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned on Friday that Pakistan would strike if India builds any structure on the Indus River in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Islamabad and New Delhi are experiencing a period of heightened tensions since the April 22 attack on tourists in the scenic resort town of Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which at least 26 people were killed.
New Delhi linked Islamabad to the attack without providing any evidence and took a flurry of punitive measures to downgrade ties, including suspending the IWT, revoking visas of Pakistanis, and closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, among others.
Islamabad, in response, ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims, and closing the main border crossing from its side. Islamabad also denied its involvement in the attack and offered to take part in a credible and transparent investigation.
Speaking on the Geo News programme “Naya Pakistan”, the defence minister said: “Certainly, if they attempt to build any kind of structure, we will strike it.” He said that building any structure on the Indus River by violating the IWT would be seen as Indian aggression against Pakistan.
“Aggression is not just about firing cannons or bullets; it has many faces. One of those faces is [blocking or diverting water], which could lead to deaths due to hunger and thirst,” he added.
The security czar warned: “If they make any architectural attempt, then Pakistan will destroy that structure.”
“But for now, we are heading to forums available to us, starting from the IWT [Indus Waters Treaty]. We will pursue this matter.”
The minister was of the view that it would not be easy for New Delhi to violate the IWT, adding that Islamabad would approach the concerned stakeholders over the unilateral suspension of the IWT by the Indian government.
The defence minister slammed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over “staging the drama” for political gains in the backdrop of the upcoming elections.
Responding to a question, the minister said that global pressure on India has increased more than ever. “I will not say yet that the threat has been averted,” he added.
The minister elaborated that New Delhi failed to get the global support it had expected, adding that the Modi-led government could not present evidence in support of its false claims. Asif further said that the international community rejected Modi’s allegations against Pakistan.
Referring to India’s rhetoric and allegations against Pakistan, the minister said: “India is continuously inciting, but we will take only retaliatory action.”
