Web Desk

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday criticized India over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), in his message on World Water Day. &ldquo;This deliberate weaponisation of shared water resources is a matter of deep concern,&rdquo; the president said, according to a statement through the press information department. He said India&rsquo;s decision to place the treaty in abeyance and disrupt &ldquo; hydrological data-sharing&rdquo; mechanisms undermines &ldquo;both the letter and spirit&rdquo; of a &ldquo;six-decades-old&rdquo; international agreement. &ldquo;I call on India to immediately restore full implementation of the Treaty in accordance with international obligations,&rdquo; he added. The IWT signed in 1960 by Pakistan and India through the World Bank, allocated the three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan, and the three eastern rivers of Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej to India. In 2025, India unilaterally announced the suspension of its obligations under the IWT, following a terrorist attack in Illegally Indian Occupied Kashmir. India blamed Islamabad for the attack without any evidence. Zardari&rsquo;s remarks came as Pakistan marked World Water Day under the theme &ldquo;Water and Gender,&rdquo; focusing on unequal access to water. &ldquo;Women and girls often carry the heaviest burden when safe water is not available close to home,&rdquo; he said. He noted that in many parts of the country, households rely on distant or unreliable water sources, forcing women and girls to spend long hours collecting water. &ldquo;Time that could otherwise be spent in school, at work or with their families,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;Access to safe water and sanitation is a basic right recognised under our Constitution,&rdquo; the president added. &ldquo;Ensuring reliable and safe water supply must remain a national priority.&rdquo; &ldquo;As pressures on water resources grow due to population demands and climate variability, we must use water with greater care,&rdquo; the president concluded

Foreign Affairs

Asif Ali Zardari condemned the Indian aggression for suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it a weaponization of shared water resources and a violation of the decades-old agreement.

India’s water aggression condemned as Pakistan demands treaty restoration

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived Thursday in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, the foreign office said, kicking off a 10-day official visit aimed at strengthening economic and trade relations between Pakistan and China. Zardari was welcomed at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong and Sichuan Vice Governor Huang Rishia. Pakistan Ambassador to China Khalid Hashmi and his Chinese counterpart, Jiang Zaidong, were also present to receive him. The trip, which runs from September 12 to September 21, comes just days after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif concluded a separate visit to China, where Islamabad signed investment deals and joint ventures worth $8.5 billion. According to Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Office, Zardari&rsquo;s itinerary includes visits to Chengdu, Shanghai, and the Xinjiang Uygur, where he will meet with top Chinese officials and provincial leaders. Talks will focus on bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and future connectivity projects. China is Pakistan&rsquo;s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $25 billion in recent years. Beijing has invested heavily in Pakistani infrastructure, energy, transport, and telecom sectors, primarily through the CPEC initiative. The visit is also expected to reinforce the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership, a longstanding alliance centered on economic collaboration, regional security, and shared geopolitical interests. &ldquo;The visit will reaffirm both countries&rsquo; support for each other&rsquo;s core interests and highlight their commitment to regional peace and stability,&rdquo; the Foreign Office said in a statement. Zardari&rsquo;s meetings are aimed at deepening cooperation across a range of sectors and showcasing Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to its strategic partnership with China at a time of growing economic and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zarari (2R) arrives at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

President Asif Ali Zardari began a 10-day visit to China to strengthen economic and trade ties, with meetings in Chengdu, Shanghai, and Xinjiang. Talks will focus on CPEC, investment, and regional cooperation, reinforcing the Pakistan-China strategic partnership.

Articles tagged with "President Zardari"

India’s water aggression condemned as Pakistan demands treaty restoration

Pakistan president in China for 10-Day visit to boost economic, trade ties

India’s water aggression condemned as Pakistan demands treaty restoration