‘A water bomb’: Pakistan Senator Syed Ali Zafar explains impact of India suspending Indus pact

NEW DELHI: Pakistani senator Syed Ali Zafar has urged the Shahbaz Sharif-led government to “defuse” the “water bomb” dropped by India when it suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam.While addressing the Senate, the senator from opposition party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) highlighted that one out of ten people is dependent on water from the Indus river system and warned that a large population could die of hunger if the crisis is not addressed.“If we don’t solve this water crisis now, we could die of hunger. The reason is that the Indus Basin is our lifeline. Three-fourths of our water comes from outside the country. Out of every ten people, nine are living their lives based on international border basins,” Zafar said.“According to statistics, 90% of our crops depend on this water. All our power projects and dams are built on this water. That’s why we must understand that this is like a water bomb hanging over us — we have to defuse it, we have to resolve it,”he added.Following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, India announced a series of measures, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, to send a strong message to Pakistan over its support for cross-border terrorism.India and Pakistan agreed to an immediate ceasefire after escalated cross-border tensions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor.While Pakistan accepted the ceasefire without conditions, India has maintained several punitive measures against its neighbour.The ceasefire was the result of direct engagement between Indian and Pakistani officials, with Islamabad agreeing to the terms with “no preconditions, no postconditions, and no links to other issues.”ALSO READ | ‘Ties are built on basis of sensitivities to each other’s concerns’: India’s strong message to Turkey, China for backing PakistanThe Indus Waters Treaty allowed Pakistan to control waters from three western rivers — the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — while granting India access to the eastern rivers — Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas.These waters are vital for Pakistan’s irrigation and drinking needs, supplying about 80% of the country’s water.India’s decision to suspend the World Bank-backed IWT meant that water flow from the western rivers and their tributaries was disrupted wherever India had control. Although natural channels continue to flow, India’s move has reportedly impacted drinking water supply in some parts of Pakistan amid the scorching summer.Islamabad termed the suspension of the pact an “act of war,” while New Delhi stated that the IWT would remain in abeyance until *“cross-border terrorism by Pakistan is credibly and irrevocably stopped.”