Pakistan defence minister threatens war over water as country grapples with deepening crisis

Khawaja Asif's remarks on water security have renewed focus on Pakistan's internal water management challenges and the suspended Indus Waters Treaty

PGurus Newsdesk

June 22, 2026

As water shortages deepen, desperation takes center stage amid escalating rhetoric

Khawaja Asif warns of military action against India over water security even as Pakistan faces mounting criticism over its own water management failures

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has threatened military action against India over water security, escalating rhetoric amid growing concerns over Pakistan‘s worsening domestic water crisis.

Speaking to ARY News on Saturday, Asif said Pakistan would consider going to war if it believed its water security was under threat.

“The moment we feel that our national security, and water is part of our national security, is being threatened, we will go to war against India. Definitely,” Asif said.

He further claimed that military action could become an option if Islamabad concluded that India was moving at what he described as an “alarming speed” to disrupt water supplies.

The remarks come months after India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty following the April 2025 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. New Delhi has maintained that the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan takes credible and verifiable action against cross-border terrorism.

Asif accused India of “weaponising water“, manipulating flows in the Chenab River and withholding crucial information. However, questions were raised over the strength of his claims after he acknowledged having no updated information on developments over the past year despite referring to previous inspections conducted by Pakistani teams.

The comments have also drawn attention to Pakistan’s own water challenges. While the Indus Waters Treaty has historically provided Pakistan access to the majority of the Indus basin’s waters, the country continues to struggle with infrastructure shortcomings, distribution disputes and resource management issues.

The crisis has become particularly acute in Sindh and Balochistan, where millions of people face water shortages. Official figures from Sindh’s irrigation department show severe deficits across key canal systems, with the North West Canal reporting a 64.1 per cent shortfall. The Rice Canal and Dadu Canal have recorded shortages of 38 per cent and 82 per cent respectively.

Water levels at the strategically important Sukkur Barrage have also continued to decline, intensifying concerns among farmers and local communities. Regional leaders have warned that unresolved water distribution problems could have devastating economic consequences for the province.

Analysts note that the latest threat against India comes at a time when Pakistan is confronting significant internal challenges, including water scarcity, economic pressures and infrastructure constraints. Against that backdrop, Asif’s remarks are likely to further heighten tensions in an already sensitive regional environment.

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