DUSHANBE: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a stern warning to India on Friday, asserting that Pakistan will not tolerate any unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of water from the Indus Basin. He emphasized that such actions could endanger millions of lives and stressed that Pakistan will defend its red line.
Addressing an international conference on glaciers’ preservation in Dushanbe, attended by over 2,500 delegates from 80 countries, Shehbaz highlighted the importance of glaciers to Pakistan’s water security.
With over 13,000 glaciers contributing nearly half of the country’s water through the Indus River system, their rapid melting due to climate change poses a severe threat.
He pointed out that Pakistan is among the ten most climate-affected nations, despite contributing less than 0.5% to global greenhouse gases. The 2022 floods, caused by climate change, devastated crops and infrastructure, underscoring the urgent need for global action.
Shehbaz warned about the weaponization of water and the potential consequences of climate-induced glacial melt, including increased flooding and reduced river flows, which could lead to economic and social chaos.
He called on the international community to fulfill climate finance commitments, invest in resilience and early warning systems, and support vulnerable nations in adapting to climate challenges.
The Prime Minister urged collective responsibility to protect glaciers and ensure sustainable water management, emphasizing that climate change is a shared global threat requiring urgent and coordinated action.
