Five UN special rapporteurs and one independent expert released a 17-page communication dated October 16 and made public on December 15, stating that India's reported cross-border military strikes into Pakistan after the April 22 Pahalgam attack may have breached international law. The report notes that there is no publicly verifiable evidence linking Pakistan to the attack and that India did not notify the UN Security Council under Article 51, raising concerns about unlawful use of force and violations of the right to life.

They warn that counter-terrorism actions must comply with international humanitarian and human rights law, including necessity, proportionality, and distinction. They also express serious concern over India's decision to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in abeyance, noting that unilateral suspension of a binding international water treaty could endanger the human rights of millions in Pakistan who depend on the Indus River system for drinking water, agriculture, food security, and livelihoods.

The communication emphasizes that access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right and cautions against ?weaponizing water,? highlighting potential humanitarian, economic, and environmental harm, as well as obligations governing transboundary rivers. The experts ask India to clarify the legal basis for its military actions, justify the IWT suspension, outline safeguards to prevent harm, pursue treaty dispute-resolution mechanisms, and explain steps toward peaceful settlement of the Kashmir dispute in line with international law and self-determination.

While not legally binding, the UN experts? findings are considered authoritative and may influence discussions at UN forums amid heightened India-Pakistan tensions.