Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said on Friday that Pakistan and its armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s sovereignty, borders, and citizens.
“We reject in strongest terms India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty,” FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said during a weekly news breifing, and called water a “matter of life and death” for Pakistan. The 1960 treaty, brokered by the World Bank, regulates water distribution between the two countries.
Shafqat Ali Khan added that Pakistan reserves the right to suspend all bilateral agreements with India, including the Simla Accord, due to New Delhi’s “irresponsible behaviour.”
The warning follows a National Security Council meeting where Islamabad strongly condemned Indian threats and accused India of violating international law through extrajudicial killings and support for terrorism abroad.
Pakistan has also suspended all movement through the Wagah border, allowing only returnees to cross until April 30. Visas issued under the SAARC scheme to Indian citizens have been cancelled, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims.
Further measures include declaring Indian defence and diplomatic advisors persona non grata, ordering them to leave Pakistan by April 30. Pakistan has also limited Indian High Commission staff to 30 and suspended airspace access for Indian carriers.
Trade with India, including third-party trade, has been suspended.
Shafqat Ali Khan also confirmed recent high-level diplomatic engagements, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Türkiye and meetings with UAE and Rwandan officials.
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