Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Arshad Madani, has criticised India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, calling for a more conciliatory approach.
“If someone stops water, let them stop it… These rivers have been flowing for thousands of years, where will you take their water? It’s not easy,” Madani remarked, questioning the practicality of such measures.
Speakig to media in Delhi, Madani said, “I think the rule should be of love and not hatred. I am a Muslim, I am spending my life here in this country, and I know that the things which are being promoted here are not suitable for the country…”
His comments come after India announced immediate suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 28 lives. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri declared that the treaty would remain suspended until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” withdraws support for cross-border terrorism.
The historic treaty, negotiated by the World Bank and signed under Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan, governs water distribution from the Indus River system between the two countries.
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the suspension as part of several retaliatory measures against Pakistan.
