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Shahbaz Sharif has raised the Indus Waters Treaty at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), arguing that water resources in the region must not be
“weaponised” or used as a tool of political pressure. The Pakistan Prime Minister made the remarks while stressing the importance of shared water resources for millions of people and the region's agricultural and economic future. “Water is the lifeblood of our region that sustains millions of lives, nourishes our land and secures the future of our coming generations,” Sharif said. He added that water “must never be weaponised or used for political coercion”, before calling for treaties governing shared waters to be honoured unconditionally.
Sharif Raises Water Issue At SCO
Sharif described the agreements governing shared water resources as “binding commitments” between countries. He said such arrangements must be respected both “in letter and spirit”, putting the issue of transboundary water management directly into his remarks at the SCO.
The statement comes against the backdrop of longstanding tensions between India and Pakistan over the Indus Waters Treaty. The agreement governs the use of the Indus river system and has remained a major element of bilateral relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Sharif's remarks placed particular emphasis on the humanitarian and developmental importance of water. He argued that the resource sustains millions of lives, supports agriculture and has implications for future generations across the region.
His warning against the “weaponisation” of water also gives the statement a clear political dimension. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns over developments involving India's use and management of waters covered by the treaty.
'Must Be Honoured Unconditionally'
Sharif said the treaties governing shared waters should not be subject to political conditions. “The treaties governing our shared waters are binding commitments that must be honoured unconditionally both in letter and spirit,” he said.
The remarks represent Pakistan's position on the importance of maintaining existing water arrangements and come as the issue remains closely linked to wider India-Pakistan tensions.
Sharif did not, in the supplied statement, announce any new proposal or mechanism concerning the treaty. His intervention instead focused on the principle that agreements governing shared rivers must be respected.
Water remains particularly significant for the wider region because of its direct connection to agriculture, livelihoods and food security. Sharif's comments therefore sought to frame the issue not only as a bilateral dispute but also as a broader regional concern.
For Pakistan, raising the Indus Waters Treaty at the SCO also provides an opportunity to place the issue before a wider multilateral grouping. However, the statement provided no indication of whether other SCO members would be asked to play a formal role in the matter. For now, Sharif's message was centred on one demand: that existing agreements governing shared waters should be respected and that water should not become an instrument of political coercion.
