ISLAMABAD:
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has written a letter to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), urging its urgent attention to recent developments related to the growing escalation between Pakistan and India, which he warned poses a grave threat to international peace and security in South Asia.
Addressed to UNSC President Jerome Bonnafont, the two-page letter accuses the Indian government of undertaking “unilateral, politically motivated, and highly provocative actions” over the past few days – actions that violate international law, established diplomatic norms and bilateral agreements.
“These steps represent a calculated attempt to escalate regional tensions and to divert attention from India’s internal challenges, including its record of state-sponsored terrorism and ongoing human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK),” the letter states.
Dar also categorically rejected India’s accusations in the aftermath of the terror attack, describing them as unsubstantiated and dangerous.
“Pakistan firmly rejects the baseless allegations that India has sought to advance in the backdrop of the recent developments. It is deeply regrettable that India continues to rely on a familiar pattern, levelling accusations without evidence, attempting to vilify Pakistan, and thereby jeopardising peace and security in South Asia,” the letter adds.
“These actions, undertaken for narrow domestic political objectives, carry consequences that extend far beyond India’s borders.”
The letter also refers to a meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 24, 2025, in which proportionate countermeasures were discussed in response to India’s moves.
Dar notes that details of these measures have already been communicated to the UNSC, the UN secretary-general and the president of the UN General Assembly.
Of particular concern, the letter highlights, is India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 – a landmark agreement brokered and guaranteed by the World Bank.
Dar underlined that the treaty contains no provisions allowing unilateral withdrawal or suspension.
“India’s unilateral and illegal action strikes at a fundamental pillar of regional stability, with profound implications for the peaceful management of vital shared resources,” the letter reads.
“The National Security Council made it clear that any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty, and the usurpation of the rights of the lower riparian will be considered as an Act of War.”
While reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, Dar made clear that the country would not hesitate to defend itself if provoked.
“Being a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan believes in restraint and remains committed to regional peace and stability. However, in case of any act of aggression, Pakistan remains determined to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in exercise of its inherent right of self-defence, as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter.”
He called on the global community to recognise the seriousness of the situation and take meaningful steps to de-escalate.
“It is incumbent upon the international community, and particularly the United Nations Security Council, to take serious cognisance of these developments. At a time when the region requires cooperation and restraint, any tolerance for adventurism would only embolden further instability.”
The letter also reiterates that the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the root cause of regional volatility, citing persistent human rights abuses by India in the region.
“The unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary source of volatility in South Asia.
India’s continued illegal occupation and its systematic violations of human rights in IIOJK are a matter of international concern. There is an urgent need for renewed and concerted efforts under United Nations auspices, to secure a just, lasting, and peaceful resolution of the dispute, in accordance with the relevant Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” it concludes.
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