Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], August 13 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dilip Ghosh on Wednesday took a sharp dig at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over his reported statement that the "enemy cannot snatch even a single drop of water from Pakistan."
Ghosh dismissed the remark, asserting that Pakistan has "nothing left" and is losing international support, including from its long-time ally, China.
"There is nothing left with Pakistan now. China used to support them against India, but now China is shaking hands with India... A beggar country like Pakistan has no value, which is why its leaders are making such statements. People in Pakistan do not have access to food, healthcare, or jobs. People are leaving the country and running away. Only terrorists will be left there," he said.
Ghosh's comments came amid ongoing tensions over water-sharing issues between India and Pakistan, with Sharif's statement seen as a response to disputes.
On Tuesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed that any attempt to stop the flow of water into Pakistan is in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty, and would be met with a "decisive response".
Addressing an event in Islamabad, he said: "Enemy [India] can't snatch even a single drop of water from Pakistan."
He said, "You threatened to stop our water. If you attempt such a move, Pakistan will teach you a lesson you will never forget."
PM Shehbaz emphasised that water was a lifeline for Pakistan, and no compromise would be made on the country's rights under international agreements, as per Geo News.
Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April, which killed 26 people, India has, in exercise of its rights as a sovereign nation under international law, placed the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960, following nine years of negotiations between India and Pakistan, with the assistance of the World Bank, which is also a signatory.
Former World Bank President Eugene Black initiated the talks. Recognised as one of the most successful international treaties, it has endured frequent tensions, including conflict, and has provided a framework for irrigation and hydropower development for over half a century.
Former US President Dwight Eisenhower described it as "one bright spot in a very depressing world picture that we see so often."
The Treaty allocates the Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan and the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India.