India isn't bothered about 'false threats': Union minister CR Patil on Bilawal's war threat

India on Thursday (June 26) briskly dismissed former Pakistan foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s threat that Islamabad would go to war if India denies its share of water under the Indus Water Treaty. Speaking to reporters, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil said that India was not bothered about such “false threats”, adding that the water would not go anywhere.

'Bhutto’s political compulsions'

Taking a jibe at Bhutto, the Union minister also said that he keeps making such statements due to his political compulsions in Pakistan and would be making such comments in the future too.

Also Read: Bilawal Bhutto says Pak will go to war if India denies water under IWT

Shah on Indus Water Treaty

The comments come a day after Bhutto’s war threat with regard to the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed. Home Minister Amit Shah last week announced that India would never restore the historic accord.

Earlier, after Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry criticised Shah’s “brazen disregard” for international agreements.

Also Read: Bilawal seeks Indo-Pak intelligence collaboration against terrorism

Bhutto’s threat

Criticising India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, Bhutto in a recent speech in Parliament said, “India has two options: share water fairly, or we will deliver water to us from all six rivers,” referring to the six rivers of the Indus basin.

He asserted that the treaty was still in force as the agreement cannot be held in abeyance. “The attack on Sindhu (Indus River) and India’s claim that the IWT has ended and it’s in abeyance. Firstly, this is illegal, as the IWT is not in abeyance, it is binding on Pakistan and India, but the threat itself of stopping water is illegal according to the UN charter,” added Bhutto as quoted by PTI.

Also Read: Pak sends Bilawal-led delegation to US; stay overlaps with team Tharoor’s

‘Will wage war again’

Bhutto, who is head of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), also threatened that if India decides to follow through on the threat, “we will have to wage war again”.

The former Pakistani foreign minister also highlighted the importance of talks and cooperation, especially in counterterrorism efforts.

“If India and Pakistan refuse to talk, and if there is no coordination on terrorism, then violence will only intensify in both countries,” he said. Bhutto also accused India of “weaponising terrorism for political purposes”.

He claimed that during his diplomatic visits to the UK and European nations as Foreign Minister, it was evident that India had lobbied hard to reverse Pakistan’s progress on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) front.

(With inputs from agencies)