Web Desk: Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has accused India of weaponizing water, blaming its actions for the widespread destruction caused by recent floods in Pakistan. Speaking to the media during his visit to flood-affected areas, he said India had committed “water aggression” by failing to share critical data under the Indus Waters Treaty, a lapse that significantly worsened the damage.
India’s Alleged Water Aggression
According to Ahsan Iqbal, India appears to be deliberately storing large volumes of water and then suddenly releasing it toward Pakistan. He argued that this “hostile strategy” is meant to cause maximum damage to Pakistan’s agricultural land, homes, and infrastructure.
He emphasized that if India had shared working hydrological information with Pakistan, as required under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, the country could have taken timely precautionary measures. “The losses would have been far less if the treaty had been honored in spirit and practice,” Iqbal noted.
The minister described the recent flooding as one of the worst in Narowal’s history, where water levels on roads have reached six to eight feet. Thousands of acres of crops, including rice and corn, have been submerged, causing billions of rupees in damages.
people. We must face it as a united Pakistan,” he said.
Pakistan has once again raised serious concerns, claiming that India weaponized water by releasing excess flows into rivers that enter Pakistan. Authorities warn that these sudden discharges from upstream dams can cause devastating floods, putting millions of lives, farmland, and infrastructure at risk.
Pakistan’s Warning
Government officials and water experts have accused India of using water as a political tool. They say that New Delhi deliberately opens spillways during heavy rains without proper coordination. This, they argue, turns rivers into potential weapons against downstream communities in Pakistan.
The Ministry of Water Resources stated that India’s actions violate the spirit of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which requires both countries to share timely data and ensure cooperation on river management. Officials claim that India’s unpredictable releases often arrive without warning, leaving Pakistan with little time to prepare defenses.
Indus Waters Treaty in Question
Signed in 1960 with the support of the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty was meant to ensure fair distribution of rivers flowing from India into Pakistan. For decades, the agreement was seen as a rare example of cooperation between the two rivals. However, Pakistan believes India has increasingly used water as leverage in times of political tension.
Experts argue that when India weaponized water, it not only breached trust but also endangered fragile ecosystems. Sudden surges in rivers like the Jhelum and Chenab destroy crops, damage homes, and displace thousands of villagers. In recent years, Pakistan has had to carry out emergency evacuations due to unexpected water flows.
Humanitarian and Environmental Impact
Floods caused by such discharges have severe consequences. Entire villages in Punjab and Sindh provinces face destruction, while farmers lose harvests that took months of effort. Families are forced into temporary shelters, struggling with food shortages, unsafe drinking water, and disease outbreaks.
Environmental experts also warn that the weaponization of water disrupts river habitats. Sudden fluctuations in water levels kill fish and damage wetlands that are vital for biodiversity. The long-term impact threatens food security and ecological stability across the region.
Calls for International Action
Pakistan has urged the international community, especially the World Bank and United Nations, to take notice of what it calls India’s misuse of water. Islamabad argues that “water terrorism” is just as dangerous as conventional weapons because it silently devastates populations without direct combat.
Analysts believe that the issue could become a future flashpoint in South Asia. With climate change intensifying floods and droughts, control over shared water resources is becoming more sensitive. Experts suggest that unless both countries commit to genuine dialogue, the weaponization of water may lead to worsening hostility.
India’s Position
India, however, denies the allegations. Its officials claim that water releases are routine operations required to maintain dam safety during heavy rainfall. They argue that Pakistan receives prior data under the treaty and that any sudden floods are caused by extreme weather, not intentional actions.
Still, critics in Pakistan maintain that the timing of the releases often coincides with political or military tensions, raising suspicions of deliberate strategy.
Conclusion
The accusation that India weaponized water has sparked renewed debate over the future of the Indus Waters Treaty and regional peace. For Pakistan, water security is no less critical than national security. As climate threats grow and mistrust deepens, experts fear that rivers may no longer symbolize life but instead become tools of rivalry.
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