Pak Army Official Echoes Terrorist Hafiz Saeed in Threat to India Over Water Dispute

In a disturbing development highlighting the convergence between Pakistan’s military rhetoric and extremist narratives, a senior Pakistani military official has issued a threat to India using language closely mirroring that of UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed. The remarks come amid heightened tensions following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

In a viral video, Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry is seen stating, “If you block our water, we will choke you,” during a public event at a university. The statement sparked immediate controversy, with many pointing out its eerie resemblance to Hafiz Saeed’s past threats. Saeed had previously warned, “If you stop the water, God willing, we will stop your breath.”

Afghan politician and former MP Mariam Solaimankhil also weighed in, tweeting, “He seems to have copied Lashkar-e-Taiba’s founder Hafiz Saeed word for word… It seems the Pakistani military establishment shares a script with recognised terrorists.”

India’s move to question the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty is seen as part of a series of strategic countermeasures against Pakistan, which New Delhi accuses of harboring and supporting cross-border terrorism. The recent suspension of the treaty and intensification of dam flushing operations have drawn sharp reactions from Pakistan.

Indian officials condemned the Pakistani general’s statement as irresponsible and inflammatory, calling it yet another example of the country’s military blurring the lines between national defense and extremist ideologies.