Diplomatic Offensive Post-Pahalgam Attack Faces Pakistan Fury

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Pakistani Media Spotlights Grave Crisis Likely Over India Putting Indus Water Treaty in Abeyance

By TRH News Desk

New Delhi, April 24, 2025: Pakistani media has reacted sharply with concerns over the ramifications of the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India. In a sharp escalation of tensions following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, India announced a series of punitive measures against Pakistan, including the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

The decision, part of a five-pronged response by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drew strong reactions from Pakistani media outlets. They gave a sense of concern, criticism, and calls for a strategic response.

India, citing alleged cross-border terrorism links to the attack, declared the IWT would be held in abeyance “until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”. This was announced by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri after the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister.

Other measures include closing the Attari-Wagah border, banning Pakistani nationals from entering India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, expelling Pakistani military advisors, and reducing diplomatic staff in both countries’ high commissions to 30 by May 1, 2025.

Pakistani media outlets swiftly condemned India’s actions, framing them as reckless and disproportionate. Dawn, a leading English-language daily, described the suspension of the IWT as a “major escalation moves”, highlighting its potential to disrupt Pakistan’s water security.

The outlet noted that the treaty, brokered by the World Bank, allocates waters of the Indus River system, which Pakistan heavily relies on for agriculture, with 80 per cent of its water flow coming from the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.

Dawn reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif convened a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on April 24 to deliberate on India’s actions, with a focus on formulating a response to what it called a “false flag operation” in Pahalgam.

Geo News, a prominent Pakistani television channel, aired sharp criticism from Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who labelled India’s announcements as “inappropriate” during its program ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada ke Saath’.

Dar argued, “There is no evidence”, challenging India to present proof of Pakistan’s involvement in the attack rather than relying on accusations. He emphasized that the NSC meeting would address India’s “impulsive and impractical water measures”, signalling a potential diplomatic counteroffensive.

The Express Tribune echoed similar sentiments, calling India’s suspension of the IWT a “reckless act of water warfare”. It quoted Pakistan’s Power Minister Awais Leghari, who termed the move “illegal”, warning that any disruption to the Indus River system could severely impact Pakistan’s agriculture, especially in Punjab and Sindh provinces, where water scarcity is already a pressing issue.

The outlet underscored the treaty’s historical resilience, noting it had survived multiple wars and diplomatic crises, making India’s decision a significant departure from past restraint.

ARY News, in a post on X, asserted that “India cannot unilaterally terminate the Indus Water Treaty”, reflecting a broader sentiment in Pakistani media that India’s actions violate international norms.

The outlet linked to a detailed report emphasizing the treaty’s legal framework under Article XII, which states its provisions remain in force until terminated by a duly ratified agreement between both nations.

The Pakistani media’s reactions reveal deep anxiety over the economic and agricultural fallout from the IWT suspension, coupled with a narrative that frames India’s measures as an “overreach lacking evidence”.

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