Pakistan has accused India of deliberately releasing massive torrents from its dams without proper warning, describing the move as a dangerous escalation of tensions over shared water resources. Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal labeled the action “water weaponisation,” saying it has worsened devastating flooding in Punjab.
Speaking on Geo News, Iqbal alleged that India has adopted a practice of holding back river water and then abruptly discharging it, causing downstream chaos. “This is the worst example of water aggression,” he said while overseeing rescue efforts in Kartarpur. “Lives and property are at stake because India failed to share critical information in time.”
Flooding Leaves Deaths, Damage Across Punjab
The sudden surge of water has left parts of Punjab submerged, particularly along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers. Authorities confirmed at least seven deaths in Gujranwala Division, with thousands of residents forced to evacuate.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged Sindh’s disaster agency to begin relocating vulnerable communities living in low-lying areas near the Indus River and its tributaries.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has ordered immediate relief operations, damage assessments, and tighter restrictions to keep people away from dangerous flood zones. District officials, including commissioners and deputy commissioners, have been instructed to remain on-site to supervise response efforts.
Diplomatic Tensions Rise Over Indus Waters Treaty
Iqbal’s remarks highlight a deepening strain over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a decades-old agreement that requires India and Pakistan to exchange data on water flows and dam operations. India suspended cooperation under the treaty following an April attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, a move that Pakistan says violates international law.
In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that India cannot unilaterally halt treaty obligations, affirming that disputes over the Indus system remain under the jurisdiction of neutral experts and international arbitration.
While India did issue a warning of possible flooding this week, it did so through diplomatic channels rather than the formal commission set up under the treaty. Pakistan sees this as a deliberate bypassing of agreed protocols.
Water as a Geopolitical Weapon
The escalating row adds another layer of tension to an already fraught India-Pakistan relationship. Water disputes have long been a flashpoint, but Pakistan’s accusation that India is using natural disasters as a political tool marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric.
“Water should be a source of cooperation, not conflict,” Iqbal said. “Weaponising it is inhumane.”
With climate change intensifying rainfall patterns and increasing the risk of flash floods, analysts warn that politicising water management could have devastating humanitarian consequences for millions of people living along the Indus basin.
