Pakistan’s 79th independence-day ceremonies in Islamabad combined patriotic spectacle with a warning over water and sovereignty, as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said every drop of water was a red line for the country.

The ceremony

The ceremonies included the inauguration of a monument described by Pakistan as commemorating last year’s “Battle of Truth” against India. Sharif said Pakistan seeks peace but would respond to threats to its sovereignty, referring to the 2025 fighting.

“Every drop of water is our red line.”

Water returns to the centre

The address puts water back at the centre of India-Pakistan political messaging. Sharif also criticised India’s suspension of water-sharing arrangements, according to AP.

The speech does not by itself change treaty operations. It renews political attention to the water dispute and raises the question of how India will respond.