Bilawal and Fawad Clash Over Indus River History
Misinterpretation of "Sindhu" Sparks Heated Debate on National vs Provincial Identity
A heated exchange erupted between Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry following a major diplomatic development regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague issued a Supplemental Award upholding Pakistan’s stance that India cannot unilaterally suspend the IWT, a decision widely welcomed in Pakistan.
Bilawal, responding to the court’s decision, posted on X: “Sindhu pay hamla na manzoor. India’s unilateral decision regarding the Indus Water Treaty have no bearing in international law,” referencing “Sindhu,” the historical name for the Indus River.
Sindhu pay hamla na manzoor. India’s unilateral decision regarding the Indus Water treaty have no bearing in international law. ✌️ https://t.co/0bFnq5wMVp
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 28, 2025
Fawad Chaudhry misinterpreted Bilawal’s use of “Sindhu” as a reference to Sindh province, accusing him of turning a national issue into a provincial one and invoking Sindhi nationalist rhetoric. He stated, “This [is] an attack on Pakistan, not on Sindh — unless you have also joined Sindhu Daish under GM Syed family…”
This an attack on Pakistan not on Sindh unless you have also joined Sindhu Daish under GM Syed family…. BB would never have made such statement… https://t.co/GSB8h2oRNF
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) June 28, 2025
Bilawal fired back, clarifying: “You idiot. Sindhu River is the Indus River. The Indus Valley civilisation belongs to all of Pakistan.” He explained that “Indus” is the Latinised version of “Sindhu,” tracing its linguistic roots through Greek and Persian.
You idiot.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 28, 2025
Sindhu River is the Indus River. The Indus Valley civilization belongs to all of Pakistan.
“The word “Indus” is the Latinized version of Sindhu, brought into English via the Greek name “Indos” (Ἰνδός), which in turn was derived from the Persian pronunciation of… https://t.co/Z24GkkSKNv
The public spat between Bilawal and Fawad over the historical context of the Indus River underscores deep-rooted issues of identity and federalism in Pakistan. While Bilawal invoked the river’s ancient significance to all of Pakistan, Fawad’s misinterpretation sparked a debate on national versus provincial framing of critical issues, reflecting broader political and cultural tensions.
Bilawal framed the Indus River issue as a civilizational and national matter, emphasising its significance to all of Pakistan, not just Sindh.
Fawad’s criticism stemmed from a misunderstanding of the term “Sindhu,” which he saw as provincial rather than national, and he linked Bilawal’s language to Sindhi separatism.
