Pak defence minister threatens India again over Indus treaty, says 'will strike' any structure built to divert water

Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan over the Pahalgam terror attack, the defence minister of Pakistan Khawaja Asif has again threatened India. He warned to strike any structure built by India to divert the water meant for Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty that has been suspended by India after the terror attack.

Speaking to Pakistani channel Geo News Asif said that building any structure on the Indus River would amount to 'Indian aggression'.

"Certainly, if they attempt to build any structure, we will strike it. Aggression is not just about firing cannons or bullets; it has many faces. One of those faces is (blocking or diverting water), which could lead to deaths due to hunger and thirst," he said.

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 "That will be aggression against Pakistan... even if they (India) made an architectural attempt of this kind, then Pakistan will destroy that structure," he further said.

Notably the Indus Waters Treaty suspended by India after the Pahalgam terror attack ensures water for 80% of Pakistani agricultural land. 

India and Pakistan, in 1960, made a formal agreement, called the Indus Waters Treaty, to decide how water will be shared between both the countries from the Indus river. The need for a treaty for water sharing arose after Independence when control over the river became a point of potential conflict between the two nations.

India briefly stopped water flow to Pakistan in 1948. Later, Pakistan complained to the United Nations (UN) that India wasn't letting enough water through. The UN suggested getting help, which led to the World Bank stepping in to mediate. After almost nine years of negotiation, India's then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan's then President Ayub Khan finally signed the agreement in 1960.