A fresh political war of words erupted online as the Indus Waters Treaty once again took center stage following a key ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Pakistan welcomed the court’s Supplemental Award affirming that India cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty. However, what started as a diplomatic win turned into a heated online exchange between PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry.
‘Sindhu’ Sparks Controversy
Bilawal, referring to the river’s ancient name, posted on X: “Sindhu pay hamla na manzoor,” calling India’s actions an attack on a shared heritage. The term “Sindhu” historically denotes the Indus River and the Indus Valley Civilization. Bilawal emphasized that India’s unilateral move holds no standing under international law.
Fawad Chaudhry, misinterpreting the term as a reference to the Sindh province, accused Bilawal of making a national issue appear provincial. He controversially compared Bilawal’s statement to Sindhi nationalist rhetoric and even invoked the name of GM Syed, a known Sindhi separatist.
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War of Words Escalates
In response, Bilawal fired back: “You idiot. Sindhu River is the Indus River. The Indus Valley civilization belongs to all of Pakistan.” He added that “Indus” is a Latinized version of “Sindhu,” tracing its etymology through Persian and Greek.
Treaty Under Pressure
This controversy comes amid tense India-Pakistan relations. India had placed the Indus Waters Treaty “in abeyance” following deadly violence in Indian-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan denied involvement in the attack and pushed back diplomatically.
Despite recent conflict, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has shown willingness to re-engage with India on core issues including water, trade, and Kashmir. Both countries remain bound by the 1960 treaty, which lacks any clause for unilateral suspension and mandates structured dispute resolution.
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