New York: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar, expressed deep concern at the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday over the “weaponization of shared natural resources.” He specifically highlighted India’s unilateral decision earlier this year to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, urging India to return to full adherence with the agreement without delay.
Ambassador Iftikhar emphasized that such actions go beyond bilateral harm, warning that they not only violate international water laws but also promote coercive strategies based on control over shared natural resources.
The suspension of the World Bank-brokered treaty, which governs the distribution of water from the six rivers of the Indus Basin, came after the Pahalgam incident in April. Pakistan considers this move unlawful and destabilizing.
Speaking during a broader debate on climate and security, the Pakistani envoy termed India’s suspension of the treaty as a “textbook example” of exploiting common natural resources as pressure tactics. He reminded the UNSC that for over six decades, the Indus Waters Treaty had served as a model of cooperation between India and Pakistan, ensuring fair and predictable water allocation, even during times of conflict.
Ambassador Iftikhar stressed that India’s actions violated both the letter and spirit of the treaty, jeopardizing vital ecosystems, halting critical data exchanges, and endangering the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the Indus River system for food, energy, and survival. He warned that this development should concern not only Pakistan but also the entire international community.
The Pakistani diplomat further pointed out that the treaty contains no provision allowing for unilateral suspension or amendment. He also referenced the 2025 award by the Court of Arbitration, which reaffirmed the treaty’s legitimacy and the dispute-resolution mechanisms in place. Pakistan, he stressed, expects India to fully respect the treaty and restore normal mechanisms without further delay.
Ambassador Iftikhar’s remarks came on the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. He called for greater attention to conflict prevention and early resolution, especially concerning environmental degradation caused by conflict. The Pakistani representative suggested that UN peacekeeping and political missions integrate environmental concerns into their planning and budgets.
Furthermore, he underscored the importance of international humanitarian law, particularly the need to distinguish between civilian and military targets, and avoid methods of warfare that cause long-lasting environmental damage. He also advocated for stronger coordination within the UN system to address the environmental and climate dimensions of conflict.
On the topic of climate and biodiversity financing, Ambassador Iftikhar emphasized that such funding should be fresh, predictable, and grant-based, not loans or overlapping allocations that could count towards other development or humanitarian budgets. He reiterated Pakistan’s stance that combating climate change requires a collaborative approach based on the principle of “common but differentiated responsibilities.”
In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Iftikhar called for shared natural resources to become tools of cooperation, rather than division, in global diplomacy.
Earlier in the session, Inger Andersen, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), highlighted the ongoing environmental destruction driven by conflict. She pointed to the Gaza Strip, where conflict has led to the loss of nearly all tree and shrub cover, and Haiti, where violence has worsened soil and water contamination in urban areas.
Andersen noted the complexity of the climate-conflict nexus, with climate change exacerbating instability in conflict-prone regions. She also highlighted the severe inequality in climate adaptation finance, noting that between 2014 and 2021, conflict-affected regions received only $2 per person in climate funding, compared to $162 per person in more peaceful states.
Inger Andersen urged the international community to provide greater support to rebuild environmental management capacity in conflict-affected areas, asserting that the UN system could play a vital role in these recovery efforts.
