Pakistan won’t compromise on its due water share: PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance on securing its rightful share of water resources, stating that the country will not compromise on this critical issue.

Speaking at the International Conference on Glaciers Preservation-2025 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Friday, PM Sharif condemned India’s unilateral decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a red line that “Islamabad will not allow … to be crossed.”

The premier stressed the urgency of collective international efforts to counter the negative impacts of climate change. He urged developed nations to fulfill their climate-related financial commitments without further delay and highlighted the need for funding climate-resilient infrastructure, closing financing gaps, and investing in early warning systems and disaster preparedness.

Shehbaz Sharif underlined the importance of preserving glaciers, noting that Pakistan holds one of the largest glaciated regions outside the Polar Zones. These glaciers, he said, contribute nearly half of the annual flow in the Indus River System, which is central to Pakistan’s civilization, economy, and ecology.

He emphasized that “the five great rivers that shape our geographical landscape — Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej — depend on the stability of glacial systems,” making Pakistan highly vulnerable to glacial melting due to climate change. Referring to the devastating 2022 floods, the PM warned that the pace of glacial melt is expected to accelerate.

Condemning the “weaponization of water,” PM Sharif described India’s decision on the Indus Waters Treaty as “deeply regrettable” and warned that “millions of lives must not be held hostage to narrow political gains.”