Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday issued a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s remarks on India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the Pahalgam terror attack earlier this week.
Reacting to Bhutto-Zardari’s statement, Puri told news agency ANI, “Tell him to get his mental condition checked. What kind of statements he is giving? Enough is enough. Previous governments had tolerance levels for this. Now we will not tolerate all this. Look at what PM Modi said in Bihar. Now wait for a few days.”
#WATCH | Mohali: On Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s statement on the suspension of the Indus Water treaty, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says, “Tell him to get his mental condition checked, what kind of statements he is giving. Enough is enough…Now… pic.twitter.com/jXUR9J4I5w
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2025
‘No Water, No Jump’: Hardeep Puri Mocks Bilawal Bhutto, Says Pakistan ‘Will Pay Price’
Puri’s comments came in the wake of Bhutto-Zardari’s inflammatory speech at a public rally in Sukkur, Sindh province, where the PPP leader had said in Urdu, “The Indus is ours and will remain ours – either our water will flow through it, or their blood.”
In response to this, Puri remarked, “I heard his statement. Tell him to jump somewhere in water. Well, how will he when there will be no water? Do not dignify such statements. They will get to understand that.”
#WATCH | Mohali | On #Pahalgamterrorattack, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says, “The Pahalgam incident is unequivocally a cross-border terrorist attack unleashed by a neighbouring state and they are taking its responsibility… Unlike before, no business will continue. Like… pic.twitter.com/IP6eGPIGIW
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2025
Addressing the broader issue, Puri asserted, “The Pahalgam incident is unequivocally a cross-border terrorist attack unleashed by a neighbouring state, and they are taking responsibility. Unlike before, no business will continue. Like Prime Minister Modi said, Pakistan will have to pay a heavy price, and this is just the beginning. The terrorists take away the most fundamental right to life. This is being condemned by the entire world. Pakistan is not just a rogue state, it is a country in terminal decline.”
The Union Minister also condemned the throat-slitting gesture made by Colonel Taimur Rahat, the Pakistan Army and Air Advisor at the Pakistan High Commission in London, calling it an example of “state-sponsored terrorism”.
“This is state-sponsored terrorism. We have reached a point where they will have to pay a price. If they (Pakistan) think that they can survive the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, I wish them best of luck,” he said.
India Downgrades Diplomatic Ties With Pakistan
The remarks come as India downgraded diplomatic ties with Islamabad after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 people, predominantly tourists. Intelligence sources have linked the terrorists involved in the attack to the Pakistan-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
In retaliation to India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan announced the suspension of the Simla Agreement and placed other bilateral accords on hold. Islamabad further declared the suspension of all trade activities with India, closure of its airspace for Indian airlines, and warned that any attempt by India to divert waters destined for Pakistan under the IWT would be considered an “act of war”.
The Simla Agreement, signed in 1972 between then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistani President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s grandfather), marked a major diplomatic milestone following the 1971 war.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, addressing a graduation ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, said Pakistan was willing to participate in a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam attack. “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” Sharif said.
