'How come Pakistan initiated wars': Debate erupts after Islamabad's event against India's Indus Treaty stand

Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal has sharply criticised the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), arguing that the 1960 agreement failed to deliver on its promise of fostering peace and stability between India and Pakistan.

In a post on social media, the veteran diplomat questioned the long-standing perception that the World Bank-brokered treaty served as a pillar of bilateral cooperation, pointing to Pakistan's military actions and support for terrorism in the decades that followed.

"If the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, was a vital instrument of regional peace, stability, and cooperation, how come Pakistan initiated the 1965 war, [and] the war in 1971 took place?" Sibal wrote.

He said Pakistan had repeatedly undermined bilateral agreements, including the 1972 Simla Agreement, and accused Islamabad of adopting terrorism as an instrument of state policy in the 1990s. Sibal cited the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and the 1999 Kargil conflict as examples of Pakistan's actions despite diplomatic engagement.

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He also described the Kargil intrusion as a betrayal that came shortly after then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's peace initiative through the Lahore bus journey.

Remarks come amid renewed debate

Sibal's comments come amid renewed scrutiny of the Indus Waters Treaty and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Referring to recent remarks by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir on religious differences between Hindus and Muslims, Sibal argued that despite political and ideological differences, "shared waters must never be weaponised."

He maintained that water should remain "a bridge between nations," even if other avenues of engagement, such as trade, break down. At the same time, he accused Pakistan of repeatedly delaying and challenging India's run-of-the-river hydropower projects permitted under the treaty by raising legal and technical objections.

Also read | Indus Waters Treaty: How asymmetric obligations turned India's goodwill into concessions

Pakistan steps up global outreach

Sibal's remarks also come as Pakistan has intensified its diplomatic and public relations campaign to internationalise the Indus Waters Treaty dispute after India placed the 1960 pact in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack. Facing a deepening economic crisis and concerns over its long-term water security, Islamabad has been using international forums and social media to shape the global narrative.

As part of that effort, Pakistan on Tuesday hosted a seminar titled 'Indus Waters Treaty: An Instrument of Regional Peace and Stability'. Addressing the event, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar warned that any move to curtail Pakistan's water rights could destabilise South Asia. The seminar came months after India suspended the treaty following the April 2025 Kashmir terror attack, a decision that halted data sharing and was followed by a brief military confrontation.

During the event, speakers including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari described water as a "red line", while Indian participants argued that Pakistan's continued support for cross-border terrorism had eroded the very spirit of the treaty, underscoring the widening divide over its future.

Meanwhile, Pakistan TV Digital reported that Victor Gao, speaking at an Indus Waters Treaty conference, described any Indian move to divert water as a "crime against humanity" and said China stands with Pakistan on the issue.

What's the background of the Indus Waters Treaty?

Signed in 1960 by India and Pakistan with the World Bank as a guarantor, the Indus Waters Treaty governs the sharing of the six rivers of the Indus basin. Under the agreement, India received exclusive rights over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—while Pakistan was allocated the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. India is permitted limited non-consumptive use, including run-of-the-river hydropower projects, on the western rivers under specified conditions.

The treaty has long been regarded as one of the few enduring agreements between the two neighbours, surviving multiple wars and periods of strained diplomatic ties. However, in recent years, calls have grown within India's strategic community to reassess the agreement in light of continued cross-border terrorism and persistent disputes over hydropower projects.