Early Times Report
Jammu, May 6: India’s abrupt release of 28,000 cusecs of water from the Chenab River at Head Marala, after a nearly 24-hour blockade that reduced flows to a mere 3,100 cusecs, has triggered flood warnings in Pakistan’s Sialkot, Gujrat, and Head Qadirabad districts.
The surge, which violates the Indus Waters Treaty’s requirement for prior notification, follows India’s suspension of the treaty after the 22 April Pahalgam massacre, which left 26 civilians, mostly tourists dead.
The blockade, caused by India closing all gates at the Baglihar and Salal dams, left the Chenab riverbed nearly dry, allowing Pakistani residents to walk across normally submerged areas. The sudden water release has raised fears of flash floods, prompting Pakistani authorities to issue urgent alerts and deploy real-time river monitoring to manage risks.
The erratic flows threaten Pakistan’s early Kharif crop season, with a projected 21% water shortage endangering irrigation and food security in Punjab province. In India, hundreds of residents near the Chenab in Akhnoor, Jammu, were evacuated due to anticipated water level spikes.
Tensions over the Indus Waters Treaty, a 1960 World Bank-brokered agreement, have escalated since India declared it “null and void” following the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 civilians. India accuses Pakistan of supporting terrorists, while Pakistan condemns India’s water manipulations as “water warfare” and a breach of international law. Both nations remain locked in a cycle of mistrust, with Pakistan warning of humanitarian fallout if the dispute intensifies. |
