"We Will Capture All 6 Rivers": Bilawal Bhutto Threatens India with War Over Indus Treaty

Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has issued a provocative statement threatening India with war over the Indus Water Treaty. In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Bilawal declared that if India refuses to honor the treaty, Pakistan will take control of all six rivers for its own use, claiming it as a right for its people.

Bilawal's remarks come days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah firmly stated that the Indus Water Treaty would not be restored, a statement that drew strong objections from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry. In response, Bilawal warned India to either re-engage with the treaty or prepare for conflict, saying Pakistan “will not back down from war.”

This is not Bilawal’s first incendiary remark on the issue. He previously made headlines with his chilling statement: “Either their blood will flow in it or water will flow,” referring to India and the Indus waters.

India’s Position:

India, through strong diplomatic channels and international forums like the United Nations, has repeatedly accused Pakistan of violating the spirit of the Indus Water Treaty. The Indian government has also stated unequivocally, "Water and blood cannot flow together"—a signal that New Delhi is reconsidering the treaty amid Pakistan's continued hostility.

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the use of waters from the Indus and its tributaries. While India has control over the eastern rivers, Pakistan accesses water from the western rivers. Over the years, India has alleged that Pakistan misuses the treaty to block development projects and fuel diplomatic tensions.

Context & Implications:

Bilawal's threat to “capture” rivers and Pakistan’s open talk of war are being viewed as a diplomatic provocation amid rising regional tension. Experts believe these statements are aimed at domestic political consumption as well as a pressure tactic to compel India to resume talks—an outcome New Delhi appears reluctant to consider without a fundamental shift in Pakistan’s approach to terrorism and border provocations.