Bilawal says India's decision to suspend IWT an attack on Indus Valley Civilisation

Islamabad: India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty is an attack on the Indus Valley civilisation and culture, Pakistan's former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said.

Speaking at a ceremony on the concluding day of the annual three-day festival at the shrine of Sindhi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai on Monday, Bilawal also said Pakistan always advocates peace, but if India forces it into war, the nation will not back down.

"If war is waged, then from the land of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai we will send a message to the Modi government that we do not retreat, we do not bow down, and if you dare think about launching an attack on the Indus River, then the people of every province of Pakistan will be ready to confront you,” he said.

A day after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, India took a series of punitive measures against Pakistan that included putting the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in "abeyance".

Bilawal, who is also Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), said that the Indus River is not only the country’s sole major water resource but is also deeply linked to the entire history of its people.

"The Indus Civilisation is connected to this river," he said, adding that an attack on the Indus River is an "attack on our civilisation, our history, and our culture."

Talking about his efforts to present Pakistan's stance before the world, Bilawal said Pakistan's voice was raised across the globe against the threats to cut off the water supply to 200 million people.

Addressing the public, Bilawal said the people of Pakistan have enough strength to confront the enemy and take back the six rivers from them.