India put the Indus Waters Treaty on hold in April. Since then, Pakistan has been under growing pressure to respond. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will act fast to build new dams and reservoirs so the country can store more water. Sharif made these comments while visiting the National Emergencies Operations Centre. He claimed India had “no right” to freeze the treaty and called New Delhi’s decision an “evil plan.”
The treaty, signed in 1960, lets India use the three eastern rivers of the Indus Basin while Pakistan relies on most of the water from the three western rivers. India paused the agreement after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which New Delhi blames on a Pakistan‑based Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Sharif said India is trying to turn water into a weapon against Pakistan. To protect itself, he announced that Pakistan will build “non‑controversial” water‑storage projects with its own money over the next few years. He added that the National Disaster Management Authority will play a key role in this effort.
Pakistan to build its own water storage systems
Sharif also accused India of trying to “weaponise water” and announced that his government will now focus on building new, non-controversial water storage systems using Pakistan’s own resources. He said this would be done in the next few years, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) playing a major role.
“But the enemy has certain evil designs against Pakistan and wants to take steps against the waters treaty. For that, the government has decided that we will build our water storage,” Sharif said.
Diamer-Bhasha Dam project
Sharif also called for speeding up the long-delayed Diamer-Bhasha Dam project, which was first proposed in the 1980s. However, the project has faced several roadblocks such as its high cost, environmental issues, and disputed location.
His latest comments show the growing pressure inside Pakistan’s government as India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty has exposed the country’s dependence on the Indus Basin and its lack of long-term planning.
Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) warned that India blocking water could be seen as an “existential threat” and may even lead to war. He said Pakistan wouldn’t have any option left if its water supply is cut off.
About 80 per cent of Pakistan’s water comes from the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers all part of the western rivers under the treaty. This water is especially important for farming, as 93 per cent of it is used in agriculture.
Now that the treaty is on hold, India is no longer required to share data on floods or water flow—especially during the monsoon season. This makes Pakistan even more vulnerable, as it depends on that information to manage emergencies and protect crops.