ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb Wednesday said that India itself would suffer if it violated the Indus Waters Treaty.

Despite India’s antagonistic and irresponsible attitude, Pakistan has been demonstrating tolerance and responsibility because it is an issue of regional peace and water security, she said while addressing here a national consultation on “Pakistan’s Water Challenge”.

The minister said the government was evolving a comprehensive strategy to overcome challenges related to the Indus Waters Treaty.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif believed in the politics of consensus and reconciliation, and under his reconciliatory policy, all the political parties would be taken on board on the issue, sheadded.

She said that Pakistan had the capacity and capability to deal with the matter and overcome the situation.

India, she said, should avoid doing politics on such an important matter and should participate in the dialogue process.

Marriyum Aurangzeb said that India had been invited for talks under the Prime Minister’s vision for peaceful neighbourhood as the matter was linked to the progress of the peoples of two countries and common development of the Indus basin.

She said after 17 years the present government had decided to conduct census this year as this was crucial for assessment of population and devising strategy to meet the challenges including water related issues.=DNA

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