India has strongly refuted Pakistan’s recent claims of India ‘weaponising water’ and violating the Indus Waters Treaty, terming the accusations a politically motivated distortion of facts. Speaking at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha, India’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Mansukh Mandaviya, directly addressed and dismissed Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s remarks. Mandaviya accused Pakistan of abusing the international forum to spread misinformation and divert attention from pressing social development issues.
Clarifying India’s adherence to the Indus Waters Treaty, a pact signed in 1960 with World Bank facilitation, Mandaviya stated that it is Pakistan that has consistently acted against the treaty’s collaborative intent. He accused Islamabad of employing sustained hostility, cross-border terrorism, and misusing treaty mechanisms to hinder India’s legitimate water infrastructure projects. The treaty demarcates the usage of the Indus River system, assigning control of the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan.
Furthermore, the minister firmly rejected any Pakistani interference in India’s internal affairs concerning Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing its status as an Indian territory. He highlighted Pakistan’s alleged role in cross-border terrorism as a reason for its lack of standing on the issue. Mandaviya encouraged Pakistan to focus on resolving its own deep-seated development challenges and reduce its dependency on foreign aid. He then pivoted to showcase India’s significant achievements in poverty reduction, enhancing food and health security, and providing housing, underscoring the nation’s developmental trajectory aligned with global sustainability targets.