Key Points
- Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner has written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification under treaty procedures.
- Islamabad urges India to refrain from unilateral actions and fully comply with the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty
- Pakistan warns that suspending its water share under the treaty would amount to an “act of war”
- The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in June that India cannot unilaterally place the treaty in abeyance
- FO spokesperson also condemns forcible removal of Muslim woman’s veil in India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed serious concern over abrupt variations in the flow of the Chenab River and has formally sought clarification from India, warning that any unilateral manipulation of shared rivers could undermine regional stability and violate international law.
At a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said the issue had drawn attention over the past week following media reports that India had released water into the Chenab without prior notice.
Local media, quoting Pakistani officials, reported that India released around 58,000 cusecs of water at Head Marala on December 7–8, before sharply cutting flows to about 870–1,000 cusecs by December 17—well below the 10-year seasonal average of 4,000–10,000 cusecs.
“Pakistan views these variations with extreme concern and seriousness,” Andrabi said. “They allude to unilateral release of water into the Chenab River by India, without any prior notification.”
He said Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner had written to his Indian counterpart seeking an explanation in line with procedures laid out under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
“Any manipulation of river flow by India, especially at a critical time of our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the life and livelihood, as well as the food and economic security, of our citizens,” Andrabi warned.
Pakistan has urged India to respond promptly to the queries, refrain from unilateral actions, and fully adhere to its treaty obligations. Andrabi described the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty as a binding international agreement that has long served as “an instrument of peace, security and stability in the region”.
Under the treaty, the western rivers — the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum — were allocated to Pakistan, while India was granted control over the eastern rivers of the Indus basin.
Andrabi cautioned that any violation of the treaty threatened not only Pakistan’s water security but also the sanctity of international agreements and broader principles of international law.
“The international community must take notice of India’s continued disregard of a bilateral treaty and counsel India to act responsibly, in accordance with international law, established norms and its own obligations,” he said.
Pakistan warned that any move to suspend its share of water under the treaty would constitute an “act of war,” stressing that the agreement contains no provision for unilateral suspension.
In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which provides a framework for resolving international disputes, issued a Supplemental Award of Competence, ruling that India cannot unilaterally place the treaty in abeyance.
Indian woman’s veil removal
During the briefing, the FO spokesperson also condemned an incident in which the chief minister of India’s Bihar state was seen in a video forcibly removing the veil of a Muslim woman during a public gathering, followed by remarks from a minister in Uttar Pradesh mocking the episode.
He said the incident reflected a broader pattern of religious intolerance and Islamophobia and deserved strong condemnation.
“The forcible removal of the Muslim woman’s niqab (veil) by a senior political leader and subsequent public ridicule of this act are deeply disturbing and warrant strong condemnation,” he said.
“The action risks normalising the humiliation of Muslim women in India. The conduct also demonstrates public disrespect of India’s religious minorities, particularly its Muslim citizens,” he said.
“Such conduct reflects a broader and troubling pattern associated with Hindutva-inspired politics, namely the alarming rise of religious intolerance and Islamophobia,” he added.
“We urge all responsible stakeholders and the Indian government to recognise the seriousness of this incident and to reaffirm their commitment to the protection of minority rights, respect for religious freedom, and the preservation of human dignity,” he said.
Terror elements in Afghanistan
Responding to a question on the latest UN Security Council report, Tahir Andrabi said it reinforced Pakistan’s long-standing position conveyed to the Afghan Taliban authorities and the international community that the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan poses a serious threat to regional peace and security.
He added that the report’s findings align with Pakistan’s official stance and expressed hope that the message would be heard clearly in capitals around the world.
