Sardar Masood Khan, former president of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, China, and the UN, warned that India’s attempts to dismantle the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) endanger Pakistan’s very existence. He declared that Pakistan will not compromise on its water rights and the matter should be taken to the UN Security Council, including upper riparian countries like China.
Khan stated that India’s violation of the IWT is not merely a legal dispute, but a grave threat to Pakistan, a blatant violation of international law and the spirit of the treaty.
In an exclusive interview, Khan discussed Pakistan’s foreign policy, regional security concerns, and the critical Kashmir dispute. He stated that Kashmir has regained global attention, with increased awareness of India’s deceit and Pakistan’s moral stance.
He termed India’s insistence on bilateral dialogue on Kashmir a deception, urging intervention by international bodies. Khan reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to Kashmir, despite any perceived backtracking. He emphasized that economic, political, and strategic stability are prerequisites for diplomatic success, underpinning Pakistan’s current diplomatic approach.
Khan condemned India’s disinformation campaign, particularly allegations of Pakistan developing US-targeting intercontinental ballistic missiles. He cited India’s Agni-V missile, with its 16,000 km range reaching US territories, as hypocrisy, a contradiction now acknowledged by Washington.
He affirmed the restoration of US-Pakistan relations, deeming them the strongest since the Musharraf era. He cited former President Trump’s endorsement of Army Chief General Asim Munir and collaboration in areas like cryptocurrency, renewable energy, minerals, and advanced technology. Khan clarified that improved relations with the US do not imply distancing from China. The strategic alliance with China remains crucial to Pakistan’s economic and defense security. He noted that Beijing has always advised Islamabad to pursue balance, tolerance, and de-escalation with Washington. Islamabad formulates its foreign policy based on national interests, not bloc allegiance.
Khan warned that the BJP’s electoral setbacks, internal unrest, and aggressive rhetoric have created a volatile environment where any non-state (terrorist) action could trigger nuclear war. He advised Pakistan to adopt strategic ambiguity, avoiding preemptive disclosure of its thresholds or responses.
Addressing Kashmiris, Khan acknowledged their suffering but emphasized their enduring bond with Pakistan. He stated that Pakistan’s vision, rooted in the ideology of Quaid-e-Azam and Iqbal, cannot be erased by Indian atrocities. The Kashmiri yearning for freedom persists.
Khan recalled that Pakistan, as a nascent nation in the 1950s, raised the Kashmir issue at the UN, establishing its global presence. He stated that Pakistan now requires similar resolve, clarity, and confidence. He declared that Pakistan has entered a new era of diplomatic equilibrium, no longer isolated. Its mature and responsible leadership is globally recognized. India’s disinformation campaign is failing. The future belongs to nations that proceed with foresight, seriousness, and determination, and Pakistan is prepared.