Addressing the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, President Zardari said the use of water as a political tool was unacceptable and that such tactics “cannot and will not succeed.”

“On one hand, Pakistan faces the devastating impacts of climate change, and on the other, a new threat in the form of water weaponisation,” he said.

“Water, which is the basic right of every human being, must never be turned into an instrument of coercion.”

The president’s remarks came months after India held the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following an attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which it blamed on Islamabad without evidence.

Pakistan had termed the move an “act of war” and said it was considering legal action under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

According to a report by Radio Pakistan, Zardari reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to social and economic goals, and called for global efforts to eradicate poverty, promote decent work, and ensure equality and human rights.

Highlighting Pakistan’s social protection initiatives, he said the Benazir Income Support Programme had empowered over nine million families, while the government’s youth and education schemes aimed to build a sustainable future.

He also urged the international community to resolve the Kashmir and Palestine disputes in line with UN Security Council resolutions, stressing that peace and justice were essential for global development.