Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday accused neighboring India of “weaponizing water” by releasing water from Indian dams without prior notice, claiming the move violates the World Bank-brokered Indus Water Treaty and threatens peace and stability in the region.
Dar’s remarks followed Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry writing to New Delhi seeking clarification over irregular releases from the Chenab River. He alleged that India was manipulating water flows during a critical stage of Pakistan’s agricultural cycle, endangering livelihoods as well as the country’s food and economic security.
“Such illegal and irresponsible conduct has the potential to trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan,” Dar said, noting that similar actions in September worsened flooding that devastated hundreds of villages. There was no immediate comment from New Delhi.
The Indus Water Treaty, signed in 1960 and overseen by the World Bank, allocates the eastern rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas to India, and the western rivers Jhelum, Chenab, and Indus to Pakistan. Despite wars and border skirmishes, the treaty has generally survived.
Dar said Pakistan has informed U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the president of the U.N. General Assembly, urging their intervention. He stressed that any attempt to divert or stop the flow of water to Pakistan would be considered an “act of war.”
Source: AP