Pakistan calls suspension of Indus Waters Treaty ‘act of war’, halts trade with India

Pakistan on Thursday said that India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty was an “act of war” and warned that it would respond with “full force across the complete spectrum of National Power”.

Islamabad also suspended all trade with India, including via third countries, with immediate effect.

On Wednesday, India said it was suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with immediate effect until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably” stops its support for cross-border terrorism. India and Pakistan signed the treaty in 1960 with the World Bank as an additional signatory, to divide the water of the Indus river and its tributaries equitably between the two countries.

Islamabad called New Delhi’s actions “unilateral, unjust, politically motivated, extremely irresponsible and devoid of legal merit”, according to a statement of Pakistan’s National Security Committee published by Dawn.

The Pakistani government announced the closure of its airspace for all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines and the shutdown of the Wagah border crossing. New Delhi had also announced that the Attari-Wagah border crossing would be closed with immediate effect.

All cross-border transit through Wagah has been suspended, except for those already in transit who must return by 30 April.

Pakistan declared India’s defence, naval and air advisers in Islamabad as persona non grata and directed them to leave by 30 April. In...

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