Pakistan calls upon international community to hold India accountable for weaponizing water

The latest developments between India and Pakistan, Pakistan’s relations with Azerbaijan, and other issues were the topics of Report’s interview with the country’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Azerbaijan, Qasim Mohiuddin:

-The recent incident that occurred a few days ago in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir has further strained the already tense relations between India and Pakistan. Indian officials, without presenting any evidence, unequivocally blame Pakistan for the attack. We would like to hear the details of the matter from you as well.

-The tragic incident in Pahalgam is yet another example of India’s habitual tendency to blame Pakistan without any credible investigation or evidence. The prime minister of Pakistan offered India that Pakistan was ready to be part of an international, impartial inquiry on the tragic incident. However, India has not responded to our proposal. Pakistan categorically rejects these baseless allegations. Such knee-jerk reactions serve only to deflect attention from India’s own internal security failures and the rapidly deteriorating situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Pakistan has always advocated for a peaceful resolution of disputes and believes that a transparent, impartial inquiry should precede any attribution of responsibility.

The cowardly attacks that India carried out against Pakistani civilians in the middle of the night of 7 May resulted in women and children being martyred. Several mosques were also damaged. Pakistan’s forces shot down 5 Indian aircraft including 3 Rafaels, 1 SU 30 and 1 Mig 29. We also shot down several Indian drones. I will reiterate that Pakistan only engaged and destroyed targets which were involved in the act of aggression against Pakistan. Even early this morning, we shot down several Indian surveillance drones in different sectors of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. My government has made it absolutely clear that Pakistan reserves the right, under International Law, to respond decisively to this continued Indian aggression at a time, place and method of our choosing.

-Who do you think carried out this attack and for what purpose?

–Pakistan is not in the business of speculation, but it is important to question the timing and context of this incident. Historically, India has used such events to justify escalatory military posturing or to divert attention from its domestic political crises, especially during election cycles. It would not be unprecedented for India to try and use false flag operations, like it did in Uri in 2016 and Pulwama in 2019. Pakistan calls for an independent international inquiry into the Pahalgam incident to determine the facts without prejudice.

-India has also blocked the flow of the Indus River, which originates from China, in the direction of Pakistan. Isn’t blocking the river flow and changing its direction another provocation for conflict? According to the agreement signed between the parties, preventing the Indus River from reaching Pakistan is considered as India declaring war on Pakistan. What is Pakistan’s stance in the face of these threats?

-India’s unilateral and illegal attempt to block or alter the flow of the Indus River would be a grave breach of the Indus Waters Treaty (1960), a legally binding agreement brokered by the World Bank. The Treaty does not allow any one party to amend or cancel the Treaty. Such actions are not only provocative but also tantamount to an act of war. Pakistan takes this violation very seriously and is raising the matter at appropriate international forums. We also call upon the international community to hold India accountable for weaponizing water, which threatens regional stability and is another form of cross-border terrorism against Pakistan by India.

-Since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, an Islamophobic policy has been pursued in India. Do you believe there are external influences behind this Islamophobic policy in India?

-Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, we have witnessed a systematic rise in Islamophobia and Hindutva-inspired extremism in India. This has resulted not only in violence against Muslims within India but also in aggressive posturing towards Muslim-majority countries.

India’s deepening military ties with Armenia, a country that Pakistan does not diplomatically recognize due to our brotherhood with Azerbaijan, further reflect New Delhi’s policy of undermining Muslim solidarity. These patterns raise serious questions about external influences that may be encouraging India’s anti-Muslim trajectory. It is important to recall that the systematic and ongoing persecution of Muslims in India did not begin with Mr. Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister, but dates back to his time as Chief Minister of Gujarat-marking a troubling continuity in policies and actions that have targeted religious minorities.