WEB DESK: Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority (IRSA) today voiced grave concern over a dramatic decrease in the water flow of the Chenab River, a vital waterway for the country’s agricultural sector. The sudden drop, which Pakistani officials attribute to actions taken by India, is sparking fears of a potential water crisis and escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
According to Muhammad Khalid Idrees Rana, spokesman for IRSA, the volume of water flowing into Pakistan via the Chenab has plummeted by nearly 90% of its usual level. This unprecedented reduction is raising alarm bells in Islamabad, particularly in the wake of recent heightened tensions following a terror attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir region.
While the official reason for the curtailed flow remains unclear, Pakistani officials are linking it to India’s reported suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a long-standing agreement that governs the distribution of water from the Indus River system between the two countries. India’s reported move followed a terror attack near Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of 26 people.
Islamabad has previously warned that, any disruption to water flow under the IWT would be considered an act of war, underscoring the critical importance of these rivers to Pakistan’s water security.
The drastic reduction in Chenab inflows is already having tangible consequences. Rana stated that if the current low flow persists, Pakistan will be forced to cut water supplies to its farms by as much as a fifth, a measure that could severely impact agricultural output and food security.
“It’s unprecedented,” Rana emphasized, highlighting that while India typically regulates water flow for electricity generation, it usually releases the held water every few hours. The current sustained and severe reduction is a significant departure from this norm.
The situation is being closely monitored by international observers, who fear that a water dispute could further destabilize the already fraught relationship between India and Pakistan. The Indus Waters Treaty has been a cornerstone of regional stability for decades, and its potential unraveling raises serious concerns about future cooperation and conflict.
As Pakistan grapples with the immediate impact of the reduced Chenab flow, the focus remains on understanding the full extent of India’s actions and finding a diplomatic resolution to avert a potential humanitarian and political crisis.
