Pakistan says it has seen “abrupt variations” of water in the Chenab River that threaten Pakistan’s safety and well-being. This comes 10 months after India unilaterally withdrew from a treaty covering shared water use.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday accused India of “weaponizing water” by manipulating the flow of water into his country.
Dar said Pakistan’s water treaty commissioner had detected “unusual, abrupt variations” of water flow on the Chenab River between December 7 and 15, much as it did in April and May.
Dar said New Delhi had been contacted over the issue.
In April, India unilaterally withdrew from the Indus Water Treaty — which was negotiated by the World Bank in 1960 to insure “equitable use” of the six rivers that feed into the Indus system — purportedly in response to a terror attack that killed 26 people in India-administered Kashmir on April 22.
India justified the move by blaming Islamabad for the attack. Pakistan has vehemently denied any involvement and has said that Indian attempts to restrict, divert or increase water flow would be considered an “act of war.”
Beyond India’s withdrawal from the treaty, the April attack triggered hostilities between the neighboring countries in May, when drone, missile and artillery fire killed nearly 70 people on both sides of the border, many of them civilians.
Why is India manipulating water flow into Pakistan?
Though India used the situation in Kashmir as an opportunity to exit the 65-year-old treaty, it also cited “fundamental changes,” “population dynamics,” and the “need to accelerate the development of clean energy” as further justification.
India has also declared that construction is underway for several new dams on the vital river.
Dar on Friday said, “Such illegal and irresponsible conduct has the potential to trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan,” affecting not only farmers, but also millions of Pakistani citizens.
New Delhi has yet to comment on the allegations.
In September, Pakistan was devastated by flooding after India released masses of water into the river, wiping out villages in eastern Pakistan.
At the time, India said it warned Pakistan of possible flooding in advance.
Source : https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-says-india-weaponizing-water-at-border/a-75242809