Water cutoff could spark war: Bilawal

BRUSSELS:

The head of a high-level parliamentary delegation and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday urged the European Union (EU) to guide the South Asian region back to a diplomatic path, calling for a comprehensive dialogue that included Kashmir, water disputes, and trade.

The delegation members addressed a roundtable titled "South Asia at a Crossroads: Navigating Security Dynamics in a Changing Geopolitical Landscape" at the prestigious Egmont Institute in Brussels, as they arrived in EU headquarters in the third leg of their visit.

The delegation reached Brussels on Wednesday, following their successful visits to the United Nations, Washington, and London. The visit is aimed at highlighting Pakistan's stance and countering Indian propaganda in the wake of recent tensions between the two countries.

Bilawal, also the Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), delivered a compelling overview of the evolving strategic balance in South Asia, highlighting the region's growing fragility in the face of an increasingly assertive power with revisionist ambitions.

He said that India's recent acts of military provocation based on unsubstantiated allegations, unprovoked strikes on civilian targets, and a troubling disregard for international law, were aimed at reshaping the regional order through unilateralism and coercion.

The delegation members also raised concern over the weaponisation of water, condemning the move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). They stressed that this step endangered ecosystems and livelihoods across the region.

They said that India's unilateral action undermined one of the world's most successful water sharing frameworks, warning that manipulating the shared natural resources for political leverage set a dangerous precedent and eroded principles of international cooperation.

Underscoring the imperative of peace, the delegation reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to regional stability, constructive dialogue, and multilateralism. They emphasised that lasting peace in South Asia required a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with Vice Chair of the Belgian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Katleen Depoorter, Bilawal shared Pakistan's grave concerns over India's attitude and stressed that dialogue remained the only path forward to regional stability.

We have a ceasefire, but not peace. India's threats to weaponise water, its rejection of dialogue, and refusal to uphold UNSC resolutions have dangerously lowered the threshold for nuclear conflict in South Asia," he said. "Peace must not be partisan," he said, acknowledging the EU's stance on diplomacy.

Earlier, speaking to the media in Brussels, after a meeting with Bernd Lange, Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on International Trade, Bilawal highlighted the importance of dialogue in addressing these longstanding conflicts.

He conveyed Pakistan's deep concerns over Indian aggression, including threats to weaponise water—an act violation of the UN Charter that risked war. "War cannot be a solution to any issue. All matters, including Kashmir and water, must be resolved through dialogue," he said.

Earlier, in an exclusive interview with the BBC, Bilawal warned that any attempt by India to block Pakistan's water supply would lead to war. India has made a major announcement regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, and if they follow through, there will be war," said Bilawal.

"If India stops our water supply, it will lead to war," he continued. He warned that actions like the use of water as a weapon in the international relations would set a dangerous precedent. "If you allow water to be used as a weapon in the context of Pakistan, then tomorrow it can be used against anyone else."

He also pointed to Pakistan's successful efforts in getting off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Grey List. "We completed the entire FATF process, and the US was part of it. They saw first-hand how Pakistan acted against these [terrorist] groups," he said.

The PPP leader also spoke about his recent diplomatic visits to the US and the UK, calling them a success. "Our position is based on truth, and we have come with a message of peace. We want to engage in dialogue, especially considering the looming nuclear risk.

(APP WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)