'Pak Should Address Its Own Challenges': India Reacts After Zardari's 'Delhi Weaponised Water' Claims

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, while responding to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's claims that India had “weaponised” water, advised Islamabad to “address its own serious challenges related to development”. While speaking at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha on Wednesday, Mandaviya "strongly objected" to the remarks of Zardari by stating that the international forums must not be used to distract the world from development discourse. The minister further suggested the neighbouring nation to focus on its own challenges and stop the cross-border terrorism.

“We take strong objection to certain unjustified references made by President of Pakistan yesterday on India in its remarks,” Mandaviya stated. The minister further stated that Zardari's statements on Indus Waters Treaty was “an abuse of an international forum to distract the world from focusing on social development by peddling disinformation against India”.

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He further stated that Islamabad has repeatedly misused the treaty mechanisms to indulge in the cross-border terrorism and obstruct India’s projects. “On the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan has undermined its spirit through sustained hostility and cross-border terrorism. It has also repeatedly misused the Treaty mechanisms to obstruct India’s legitimate projects,” Mandaviya stated.

“Pakistan would do well to introspect and address its own serious challenges related to development which has made it dependent on handouts by international community,” he stated. Earlier on Tuesday, Zardari alleged that India had violated the treaty, further claiming that the violation meant depriving millions of Pakistanis of their right to water.

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“Water is now being used as a weapon against Pakistan. Violating the treaty means depriving millions of Pakistanis of their right to water,” Zardari claimed. The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, allocating the eastern rivers to India and the western rivers to Pakistan. However, India revoked the treaty after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed.