India has once again engaged in what Pakistan terms “water terrorism” by halting the flow of river water towards Pakistan through the Baglihar Dam, drastically reducing the volume of water in the Chenab River, Pakistani officials said on Sunday.
According to Pakistan’s Irrigation Department, the flow of the Chenab River at Head Marala has plummeted from 87,000 cusecs to just 10,800 cusecs in the past 24 hours, following India’s latest move.
Water experts note that the Baglihar Dam, located in Ramban district of Indian-administered Jammu, has a storage capacity of 300,000 acre-feet. The sudden drop in water flow is raising concerns over agricultural and drinking water supply in downstream regions of Pakistan.
Indian media reports suggest that New Delhi is also preparing to block water in the Kishanganga Dam, situated in northern Indian-occupied Kashmir. The dam has a capacity of 15,000 acre-feet, and any move to restrict its outflow could significantly impact the Jhelum River, another key water source for Pakistan.
This is not the first time India has taken such unilateral action. On April 26, India released a massive flood wave into the Jhelum River without prior notice, causing a sudden 15-foot rise in water levels near Chakothi.
The latest escalation follows heightened tensions between the two nuclear neighbors. On April 22, a shooting incident in the tourist district of Pahalgam in Indian-occupied Kashmir left 26 people dead and several injured. Without completing any investigation, India’s hardline government blamed Pakistan and subsequently announced the suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which was brokered by the World Bank.
Pakistan has categorically rejected India’s unilateral move to suspend the treaty, calling it a violation of international law and a serious threat to regional peace and water security.
