Pakistan has made a serious allegation that neighboring India is using “water as a weapon” by releasing water from Indian dams without prior warning. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Friday that such actions violate the Indus Waters Treaty signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, and that they pose a grave threat to regional peace and stability.
Dar’s remarks came a day after Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry sent a letter to New Delhi seeking clarification over the irregular release of water from the Chenab River. According to him, India is manipulating water flows at an extremely sensitive time in Pakistan’s agricultural cycle, endangering not only farmers’ livelihoods but also the country’s food and economic security.
He said the recent irregular release of water from the Chenab River was detected earlier this week. Calling the move illegal and irresponsible, Dar warned that it could create a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. Relations between Pakistan and India have historically remained tense, and since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947, the two countries have fought two wars.
There has been no immediate official response from the Indian government on the matter. Officials said that similar actions in September had worsened flooding, destroying hundreds of villages in eastern Pakistan. At that time, India claimed it had warned Pakistan about possible floods caused by monsoon rains.
The Kashmir region is divided between India and Pakistan, with both countries laying full claim to it. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of the river system considered the lifeline for both countries. The treaty has remained in force despite the wars of 1965 and 1971 and the major border clash in 1999.
Under the treaty, the eastern rivers—Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas—are under India’s control, while the western rivers—Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus—are under Pakistan’s control, most of which flow through the Kashmir region. However, after an incident in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 tourists were killed, India unilaterally suspended the treaty and downgraded diplomatic relations with Pakistan in April.
