KEY POINTS
- India blocks 1,150 cusecs of water from the Ravi River by completing the Shahpur Kandi Barrage
- Pakistan warns of severe consequences
- Experts highlight water shortages and climate change impacts
- Unresolved water disputes threaten security and diplomatic stability in South Asia
ISLAMABAD: In a bid to divert world attention from the burning issue of occupied Kashmir, India is creating a water crisis for Pakistan with New Delhi’s intensified efforts to exploit cross-border river flows in constant and blatant violations of the Indus Water Treaty, raising alarms in Islamabad.
The latest developments have sparked accusations that India is deliberately restricting Pakistan’s water supply, escalating an already fragile relationship between the two nuclear-armed nations.
With fears of severe agricultural and economic repercussions, Pakistan has launched diplomatic protests and is now considering international arbitration to challenge India’s actions.
The escalating water dispute between India and Pakistan has ignited a firestorm on social media platforms, with Pakistani citizens expressing outrage and concern over the potential impact on agriculture and daily life.
On platforms like Twitter and Facebook, hashtags such as #WaterTerrorism and #SaveIndus have been trending, reflecting widespread public anxiety.
Users are sharing images of dry riverbeds and barren fields, underscoring the severity of the situation.
One user tweeted, “Our fields are turning to dust while India chokes our water supply. This is an act of aggression!” Another post read, “The world needs to see how India is weaponizing water against Pakistan. #WaterTerrorism must stop!”
Recent reports confirm that India has completed the Shahpur Kandi Barrage on the Ravi River, effectively halting approximately 1,150 cusecs of water that previously flowed into Pakistan.
The project, initiated decades ago, had faced delays due to legal and political challenges. However, in early 2024, Indian authorities expedited its completion, diverting the water for irrigation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is nothing short of water terrorism,” said a senior government official requesting anonymity. “India is weaponizing water to pressure Pakistan, violating both the spirit and the letter of the Indus Waters Treaty,” he said, adding that the South Asian nations need to have an approach of shared resilience against the challenges posed by climate change.
He was referring to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s recent statements wherein she had talked about collectively fighting smog on both sides of the border.
The Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, grants India control over the Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers, with a specific mean annual flow, while Pakistan has rights over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab.
While Indian officials claim that the latest project falls within their legal entitlement, Pakistani experts argue that these actions systematically reduce Pakistan’s share by altering the natural flow of rivers and by building excessive and unauthorised projects on them.
In addition to the Ravi River blockade, India has issued a formal notification to Pakistan seeking modifications to the Indus Waters Treaty.
The notice, sent in late 2024, cites changing environmental conditions, demographic pressures, and the need for rapid hydropower development as justification for revisiting the decades-old agreement.
Experts warn that this move could signal India’s intent to further alter the water-sharing mechanism in its favour.
“Pakistan is already facing acute water shortages. With climate change exacerbating the crisis, any further reduction in water inflows could devastate agriculture and drinking water supplies,” warned a hydrologist familiar with the matter.
Climate experts argue that the worsening crisis is not solely a result of geopolitical manoeuvring but also a symptom of the broader climate emergency.
Rising global temperatures are accelerating glacier melt in the Himalayas, disrupting the natural flow of rivers that sustain both India and Pakistan.
Changing rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts have further intensified water stress, making transboundary water agreements even more critical.
“This isn’t just about India and Pakistan anymore—it’s about an existential environmental crisis that requires regional cooperation,” said a climate policy analyst.
“If both countries fail to acknowledge the climate dimension of their water disputes, they risk long-term catastrophe.”
In a typical Hindu hypocritical style, the Indian officials insist that this was about securing resources for their people, not about harming Pakistan.
“We remain committed to the Indus Waters Treaty, but Pakistan must stop politicising every infrastructure project,” a newspaper quoted an Indian official.
Observers fear that if left unresolved, the dispute could escalate beyond legal and diplomatic channels.
A former diplomat cautioned that “water security is now a national security issue,” emphasising that failure to find a mutually acceptable resolution could push South Asia toward a broader geopolitical crisis.
