In what can seen as a warning tone for India, Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir Thursday said Islamabad would never compromise on the water issue as it’s linked to the basic rights of 240 million people of the country. This came closely alongside India's firm stand that talks and terror cannot go together reiterated by MEA on May 29.
Gen Munir made the remarks while talking to vice-chancellors of different universities, principals, and senior teachers and educators, according to the army. “Pakistan will never accept Indian hegemony,” he said.Speaking to a gathering of educators and university leaders, Munir stated that Islamabad would never compromise on its right to water, amid rising tensions following India's decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty. The statement comes in the wake of escalated hostility between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, with Pakistan linking the issue directly to national sovereignty.
“Water is Pakistan’s red line, and we will not allow any compromise on this basic right of 240 million Pakistanis,” he said, referring to India’s move to keep the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Munir also claimed that terrorists in Balochistan were backed by India and the militants involved in the unrest in the province have a connection with the Balochs.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed 26 lives. India carried out precision strikes as part of Operation Sindoor on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. It was followed by Pakistan’s attempt to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. The Indian side responded strongly to the Pakistani actions.
The on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10. However, India has been maintaining its stance as to suspension of Indus Water Treaty, one of the first harsh decisions NDA government led by Prime Minister Narender Modi took hours after terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22.
Even as Pakistan has been pleading for dialogue with India apparently on finding itself on backfoot after India's punitive actions for sponsoring terror attacks, the latter is firm on its stand now that terror and talks cannot go together, an assertion reiterated by MEA on Thursday.
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