President Zardari Says Water Must Not Be Used as Political Pressure
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: President Asif Ali Zardari has said water should not be used as a weapon or a means of political pressure, while calling for dialogue and peaceful solutions to longstanding regional disputes.
Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad, Zardari stressed that sustainable peace requires the resolution of unresolved conflicts, particularly the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.
The president also addressed regional security challenges, saying Afghan territory must not be allowed to be used against Pakistan or any other country.
He said dialogue remained essential for resolving regional disputes and highlighted Pakistan’s continuing security concerns over militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
Zardari also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian people and their right to self-determination, placing the issue alongside broader calls for peace and respect for international principles.
His remarks came during an event at which UN Secretary-General António Guterres was conferred Pakistan’s Nishan-e-Imtiaz, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the speaker of the National Assembly were among senior officials attending the ceremony.
Guterres expressed gratitude for receiving the Pakistani national honour.
During his interaction with the UN chief, Zardari praised efforts aimed at promoting global peace and dialogue at a time of continuing geopolitical tensions and regional conflicts.
Water security has emerged as an increasingly prominent diplomatic issue for Pakistan amid tensions over shared rivers and the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan has maintained that cross-border water resources should be managed through cooperation and established international agreements rather than being used as instruments of political leverage.
Zardari’s remarks linked water security with Pakistan’s wider diplomatic positions on regional stability, Afghanistan, Kashmir and Palestine, while emphasising negotiations as the preferred mechanism for addressing disputes.
