New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday criticised Pakistani politician Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for his remarks threatening India with “blood flowing in the rivers” after New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. Owaisi reminded Bhutto of the assassination of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, at the hands of home-grown terrorists.
Speaking to reporters, the Hyderabad MP dismissed Bhutto-Zardari’s comments as immature, saying, “Arre chhodo… bachpane ki baatein nahi karna (Leave it, don’t make childish remarks).” He further added, “He should first reflect on who killed his mother. If terrorism was responsible for the death of his own mother, he should realise the devastation it causes. Terrorism that claims innocent lives – whether it is mothers and daughters here or elsewhere – must be unequivocally condemned.”
Bhutto’s provocative statement
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman and former Foreign Minister, made the controversial statement during a rally in Sukkur, Sindh province. Standing by the banks of the Indus River, he declared: “The Indus is ours and will remain ours — either water will flow through it, or their blood.”
His comments came after India announced several stringent diplomatic measures against Pakistan after the heinous terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. Measures included the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the immediate closure of the Attari land-transit post, the expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, and the revocation of visas for Pakistani nationals.
Owaisi calls Shahid Afridi a joker
Owaisi also took aim at former Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi, referring to him as a “joker” for his comments surrounding the Pahalgam attack. Owaisi called for Pakistan to be placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list for its role in financing terrorism, and advocated cyber attacks against Pakistan under the right of self-defence provided by Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
Talking about the suspension of the treaty, Owaisi raised practical concerns about the storage and utilisation of river water, noting, “The water has to be stored somewhere.” Under the original treaty, brokered by the World Bank, India had rights over the waters of the eastern rivers — Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi — while Pakistan was granted rights over the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. With the treaty now in abeyance, India is considering options to utilise the waters from the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers.
Union ministers also condemn Bhutto-Zardari’s statement
Earlier, Union ministers Hardeep Puri and Piyush Goyal had also condemned Bhutto-Zardari’s statement. Puri described it as evidence that the PPP leader needed to “get his mental condition checked”, warning that India’s patience had reached its limit. Goyal criticised Pakistan for prioritising terrorism over development, adding that “even Pakistani citizens would not agree with such irresponsible remarks”.
Owaisi also reiterated: “Pakistan must understand that India’s defence budget is larger than their entire national budget. They are two decades behind us. A nation that cannot manufacture medicines for malaria should think twice before making such baseless threats.”
