The Embassy of Pakistan to Belgium, Luxembourg, the European Union and NATO, in collaboration with the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), organized a seminar titled “Transboundary Water Resources: A Weaponised Global Common” in Brussels on 18 June 2026. The seminar examined the growing significance of transboundary water resources at the intersection of climate change, regional security, and international law, and discussed the challenges arising from the increasing weaponization of shared water resources.

A video recorded message by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, was played as the keynote address. Additionally, the seminar brought together a distinguished panel of experts comprising Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Senator Dr. Musadik Masood Malik; Policy Officer, Water Europe, Ms. Madalena Cepeda; Senior Researcher at Utrecht University and Energy Law In-house Counsel, Ms. Cathy Suykens; international arbitration expert and former counsel for the Government of Pakistan in Indus Waters Treaty matters, Mr. Feisal Hussain Naqvi; Head of Climate Programme, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Isabel Scheckenbach; and Founder of Captiv8 Strategies and Editor of The Pakistan Playbook, Mr. Danish Qayyum.

The seminar featured two panel discussions: “Climate, Society, and Water Vulnerability” and “Transboundary Cooperation, Rule of Law, and Water Weaponisation”. The first panel focused on Pakistan’s climate vulnerability, recurrent flooding, and the impact of water-related challenges on communities, ecosystems, food security, and downstream populations. The second panel examined legal, diplomatic, and regional cooperation mechanisms for managing shared water resources, with particular reference to the Indus Waters Treaty and lessons in water-sharing arrangements from around the world.

Addressing the gathering, the Ambassador of Pakistan, in his opening remarks, underscored that transboundary water resources constitute a critical pillar of regional stability, global security, and the international legal order. Highlighting that more than 250 million Pakistanis depend on the Indus Basin, he emphasized the significance of the Indus Waters Treaty as a globally respected framework for transboundary water cooperation. Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the Treaty and the peaceful resolution of disputes through established mechanisms, he expressed the hope that the seminar would contribute to constructive dialogue on protecting transboundary water rights and promoting sustainable water management.

In his key-note address, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, reaffirmed that the governance of transboundary waters through treaties, agreements, and mutual understandings is of global importance and emphasized that peaceful coexistence among nations depends on respect for international law, treaty obligations, and multilateral frameworks. Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to the UN Charter and international law, he recalled that the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, established a framework for the utilization of the six rivers of the Indus River System and the peaceful resolution of disputes. Noting that the Treaty has survived three major conflicts and numerous challenges over more than six decades, he underscored its resilience and enduring value.

Expressing concern over recent Indian reservoir, expansion, and diversion projects on the Indus river system, the DPM/FM cautioned that such measures could alter the river system and create conditions for hydro-hegemony, with serious implications for regional stability and water security. Stressing that water must never be used as an instrument of coercion, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue, diplomacy, and international law, while calling for enhanced international cooperation on water security, particularly in light of Pakistan’s acute climate vulnerability.

The discussions highlighted the need for practical pathways for cooperation and confidence-building and underscored that transboundary water governance has implications far beyond individual river basins, affecting regional peace, sustainable development, and international security. The seminar concluded with a shared recognition of the importance of strengthening international cooperation, upholding treaty obligations, and promoting rules-based approaches to transboundary water governance.

18 June 2026