A senior Pakistani diplomat voiced great concern in the UN Security Council on Thursday over the deliberate weaponisation of shared natural resources, citing in this regard the unilateral suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty by India earlier this year, as he called for New Delhi’s early return to compliance with the pact.

“Such acts do not just harm one country; they weaken confidence in international water law and set a precedent for resource-based and driven coercion elsewhere,” Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said, while highlighting the crucial issue in the 15-member Council.

India suspended the major, World Bank-mediated treaty governing water sharing of six rivers in the Indus basin between the two countries after the Pahalgam incident in April.

In a wide-ranging discussion on climate and security, the Pakistan envoy called India’s unilateral action a “textbook example” of deliberate weaponisation of shared natural resources.

“For more than six decades,” Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, “This Treaty has stood as a model of cooperation, ensuring equitable and predictable sharing of the Indus Basin’s waters between Pakistan and India, even in times of war.

“India’s unlawful unilateral decision to suspend this framework undermines the letter and spirit of the Treaty, threatens ecosystems, disrupts data-sharing, and endangers the lives of millions who depend on the Indus river water system for food and energy security, for their survival,” he added.

“This should be of grave concern for every member of this Council and for the international community as a whole.”

Pointing out that no provision of the Indus Waters Treaty permits unilateral suspension or modification, the Pakistani envoy said, “The Court of Arbitration’s 2025 award reaffirmed the continuing validity of the Treaty and its dispute-settlement mechanisms, upholding Pakistan’s position that all issues must be resolved within its legal framework.

“We therefore expect full respect for the Treaty and an early return to compliance and normal functioning through the established channels”.