Kashmir, Water Issues Must Be Resolved For Regional Stability: Iftikhar Malik

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Jul, 2025) SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry former President Iftikhar Ali Malik

has cautioned that lasting peace in South Asia will remain elusive unless the

long-standing Kashmir dispute and water-related issues between India and

Pakistan are resolved through sincere and results-oriented dialogue.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, he stressed that both issues continue

to pose significant obstacles to regional peace, stability, and economic progress.

He added that the unresolved Kashmir conflict remains a grave threat to regional

security, and that peace cannot be achieved without addressing the legitimate

aspirations of the Kashmiri people in accordance with United Nations resolutions.

He strongly condemned ongoing human rights violations and the suppression of

Kashmiri population, noting that such actions only deepen the crisis and fuel unrest.

He also drew attention to the growing concerns over water security, citing India’s alleged

violations of Indus Waters Treaty and the construction of dams on western rivers.

These actions, he said, were causing severe water shortages in Pakistan, particularly

affecting agriculture and rural livelihoods. He urged international mediators and the

United Nations to intervene and ensure strict adherence to existing treaties to prevent

further escalation.

Commenting on regional cooperation, he said the SAARC could not function as an

effective platform unless political disputes among member states were resolved.

He lamented that ongoing hostilities had stifled trade, economic integration, and

people-to-people contact across the region.

He urged the Indian leadership to demonstrate statesmanship and return to the

negotiating table in the larger interest of regional development. “Peace and stability

in South Asia are not possible without justice,” he said. “If we genuinely seek a united

and economically strong South Asia, we must prioritize the peaceful and just resolution

of the Kashmir and water disputes,” he added.