One often reflects on the fundamental elements that underpin our existence, and none, surely, is more elemental than water. It is the lifeblood of civilisations, the quiet sustainer of all. And so, I find myself with a profound, almost personal sense of unease, observing how water – the very essence of sustenance for countless communities – is now drawn into the vortex of a brewing regional storm between India and Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty, that carefully constructed agreement from 1960, once stood as a beacon, a testament to what patient diplomacy could achieve. Yet, now it seems to sway precariously, burdened by relentless geopolitical tides, and the bridge it once represented seems in danger of becoming a gaping chasm.

The recent words from India’s Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, have cast a rather chill shadow across our part of the world, making many, myself included, pause with concern. As one digests his rhetoric, it’s almost with a sense of disbelief that one confronts the idea that a new kind of statecraft might be emerging: one where water is no longer just a shared resource but a potential weapon. This seems to be the implication of........

© Daily Pakistan