Pak Army spokesman parrots LeT terrorist Hafiz Saeed's comment to warn India over latter's abeyance of Indus waters treaty

Islamabad, May 23 (IANS) Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has issued a warning to India similar to that used by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Hafiz Saeed.

He was speaking at a public gathering over India's decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance till Islamabad abjures terrorism and stop aiding, funding and supporting terrorist groups emanating from its soil.

Chaudhry reportedly made the comments during a speech at a university in Pakistan.

Referring to India's recent move to suspend the water-sharing treaty following a deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, he said, "If you block our water, we will choke your breath."

His statement mirrors the hostile rhetoric used by LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, the mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, known for his inflammatory speeches against India and the US.

In a video, making rounds on social media X, Hafiz Saeed can be heard saying those same words.

The statements come as India suspended parts of the Indus Waters Treaty on April 23, a day after the terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people.

The treaty, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries between the two countries.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has repeatedly said "blood and water cannot flow together; talk and terror cannot go together," signalling a tougher stance on Pakistan's alleged support for cross-border terrorism.

Suspension was a part of countermeasures taken against Islamabad, including "Operation Sindoor" on May 7 that targeted nine terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday declared that any future dialogue with Pakistan will focus solely on the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated firmly that "terror and talks can't coexist," highlighting that India remains open only to discussions on the extradition of wanted terrorists already listed and shared with Islamabad.

Clarifying India’s stance on the Kashmir issue, Jaiswal underlined, "Any bilateral discussion will only be on the vacation of illegally occupied Indian territory by Pakistan."

Speaking on the suspended Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Jaiswal confirmed that the agreement will remain in abeyance until Pakistan takes credible and irreversible steps to stop supporting terrorism.

He echoed Prime Minister Modi’s statement: "Water and blood cannot flow together," indicating a hardening of India’s position on the historic water-sharing agreement.

In a related development, two staff members of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi were declared ‘persona non grata’ for activities deemed inconsistent with their official status.

“One has already left India, and the other was given 24 hours to do so,” Jaiswal said, underscoring the seriousness of their misconduct.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, where he delivered a stern warning to Islamabad.

He said Pakistan would have to “struggle for every penny” if it continued to support terror, and that it would not get India’s rightful share of water under the current treaty terms.

“Playing with the blood of Indians will now cost Pakistan heavily," PM Modi added.

--IANS

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