‘Either our water will flow or their blood,’ Bilawal’s Stark Warning to India Amid Water Treaty Crisis

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari issued a strong warning to India on Friday after its decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in retaliation for the recent deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam.

Speaking at a public rally, Bhutto-Zardari declared, “I want to tell India that the Indus is ours and will remain ours. Either our water will flow through it, or their blood will.”

He also accused India of using Pakistan as a scapegoat for the Pahalgam attack to divert attention from its internal security failures. His comments followed India's recent diplomatic and economic actions, including downgrading ties with Islamabad, expelling Pakistani military attachés, halting the Indus Waters Treaty, and closing the Attari land transit post.

The escalation comes after the deadly attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians, including many tourists. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility, highlighting ongoing concerns over Pakistan-based terror networks inciting cross-border violence.

The suspension of the treaty prompted an emergency meeting in Pakistan between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Bhutto-Zardari. The government is also reassessing the controversial canals project in response to the situation.

A Closer Look at the Indus Waters Treaty:

The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed on September 19, 1960, is a significant example of cross-border water cooperation. Facilitated by the World Bank after nearly a decade of negotiations, the treaty was signed by India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's President Ayub Khan.

The treaty allocated the eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej, to India, while Pakistan received the western rivers- Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. Comprising 12 articles and 8 annexures (A–H), it outlines detailed guidelines for water usage and dispute resolution.

Importantly, the treaty has no expiration date and does not allow for unilateral withdrawal. Disputes are resolved through Article IX, which outlines a three-step process: first through the Permanent Indus Commission, then by a neutral expert, and finally through a court of arbitration.