Islamabad:
On Friday, Pakistan stopped directly at the accusation of India to use water as a weapon to flood the country, but noted that the information shared by New Delhi on water flows was “not as detailed as in the past” and bypassed the Canal established under the Water Treaty of the Indus.
In addition, a new exit from India in the Sutlej river brought another wave of floods to Punjab on Friday, while last week’s devastation water increased downstream in the Sindh. Officials said they were preparing for peak levels in the coming days.
“I am not able to say if the water has been stored in a certain way, to be released at a certain time. But with regard to the sharing of information … The Indian part has indeed shared information on floods in the various rivers through diplomatic channels. However, it is not as detailed as in the past,” said the spokesperson for the foreign office, Shafqat Ali Khan, weekly.
He was asked if India had deliberately released water to exacerbate the floods in Pakistan.
“In addition, the established channel of the Industry Commissioner has not been used. In this context, we reiterate that India should fully comply with all the provisions of the Industry Water Treaty,” he added.
The floods triggered by unprecedented monsoon rains and the release of water by India have wreaked havoc in the center of the central and southern Punjab. The floods broke the almost 40 -year -old record in Punjab. Some observers suspect that India could have storedly stored water and be discharged so as to flood Pakistan.
On relations with Washington in the context of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Shafqat has said that questions about the American position should be addressed to US officials. He insisted that the SCO was not aimed at any country, but a vehicle for “common prosperity, peace and stability”.
He said that Pakistan’s foreign policy has remained guided by article 40 of the Constitution, the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The spokesperson called Pakistan’s relations with Russia a “priority”, noting the “positive trajectory and the momentum” of links.
Without going into details of recent discussions at the top level, he confirmed that Islamabad was serious in the continuation of membership of the BRICS and that Moscow had supported Pakistan’s request.
On a statement by the Minister of Taliban of Defense, Mullah Yaqoob, the spokesman said that it seemed to be “an irony”, stressing that the sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists in Afghanistan, in particular the group called Fitna Al Khwarij, remained a “serious problem” between the two neighbors.
“It was discussed with the greatest seriousness at the very old levels of the state between the two countries … There remains a problem that creates relations between two close neighbors,” he said.
Mullah Yaqub, in a recent interview, insisted that there were no terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil and blamed Pakistan for its own security failures.
Asked about the alleged transversal strikes in Afghanistan, the spokesman without explicitly mentioning Afghan territory insisted that the security forces only put “targeted operations in border regions” against terrorist threats.
Last week, the Taliban government summoned a Pakistani envoy to Kabul and recorded a protest against air reports. “Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and remains firm in its commitment to promote dialogue and cooperation … We urge the Afghan authorities to ensure that their territory is not used as a launch for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” he added.
Answering another question about United Nations concerns about Afghan refugees, Shafqat stressed that Pakistan has been the most generous host in more than five decades. “What we say is that people who have no documentation, they will be sent back. It is our territory, we decide who remains … Any Afghan who wants to come, it is more than welcome with a valid visa. We have a very liberal visa regime for the Afghan,” he added.
Flood
In Khanewal, the slope of Pul Rango at the head Sidhnai, who had given in to the extreme pressure of flood waters, was repaired by the authorities. However, the situation of the floods in Punjab remains precarious, the rescue and rescue operations continuing 24 hours a day.
The release of India from the additional river water sparked a devastation through the southern punjab, with strong floods in the rivers of Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab broke several embankments, submerging dozens of villages.
India has officially informed Pakistan of another release of water in Sutlej. Following the notification of the Indian High Commissioner, the Department of Pakistan Water Resources published a flood alert, warning high flood levels in Harike and Ferozepur.
According to Punjab’s PDMA, water entries in the Sutlej will increase more and a high wood alert has been declared throughout the province. DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia said the civil administration, the army and the relevant departments were on alert.
In Ganda Singh Wala, the Sutlej flow has reached a dangerous 327,000 Cusecases. High flood levels have also been recorded in Sulaimegiki and Islam Headworks, streams and colonies overwhelming in four Bahawalpur Tehsils.
The situation of the Ravi river is also alarming: the Sidhnai head is faced with extremely high flood levels, while the Balloki head entrances exceeded 138,760 Cuses. Likewise, the Chenab continued to climb near Khanki, the head of Qadirabad and Chiniot.
In Multan, the water from the Shujaabad canal near Qasim Bela inflated its original capacity three times, causing an overflow in the surrounding areas. Shershah’s backfill also overwhelmed, overwhelming several colonies where residents had no chance of evacuating.
The entrance to flood waters into the Sikandari drain has sparked an alarm for neighboring populations. A constant pressure on Akbar’s flooding embankment has led to violations, the flood torrents sweeping Akbarpur, Basti Kotwal and the adjacent localities.
The Sutlej of Ganda Singh Wala had inflated at extraordinary levels earlier this week, forcing a rapid deployment of army rescue teams in affected districts. Rescue operations are underway in Talamba, Mian Channu, Abdul Hakeem and Muzaffargarh, where thousands of people and livestock have already been evacuated.
In Sahiwal, the Ravi floods affected 49 villages. To manage the crisis, 30 rescue camps have been set up by the army and the civil administration. Similar operations are underway in Behrampur, Rangpur, Jawana Bangla, Muradabad, Doaba and Ashiq Chowk, where army boats have saved fucked families.
Flood emergency emergency centers medical centers provide free treatment and distribute food, clean water and medicines. The displaced families congratulated army staff for their service and their sacrifices during the crisis.
According to the provincial Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 49 people have died in incidents linked to floods so far, while almost 3.9 million have been affected by the rising waters of the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers.
The PDMA report noted that more than 3,900 localities have suffered damage. About 1.839 million people blocked by floods were moved to safer areas. Over 1.3 million animals were also moved.
Punjab rescue commissioner Nabeel Javed has confirmed that the provincial government, with the help of the army, endeavors to ensure the protection of lives, goods and livestock.
Sindh has prepared for incoming waters
While the punjab is fighting devastation, flood waters have entered the Sindh, where the authorities run to prepare for high flow rates in the main dams. The chief minister Murad Ali Shah presided over an emergency meeting to examine the situation, ordering officials to establish emergency camps, plan evacuations and strengthen embankments.
The Sindh government has already installed 528 rescue camps in vulnerable districts, although officials said that many residents hesitated to leave their homes. Nevertheless, 109,320 people were moved from the areas of Katcha (river) to a safer soil.
Evacuations are underway in Sukkur, Kandiaro, Rohri and Dadu. In the Sukkur and Katcha regions nearby, 42 people were moved to security, while 21 other residents were moved from the village of Mohabbat Dero in Kandiaro.
In New Sukkur, 21 people, including 14 men, a woman and six children, were saved from the village of Hajji Faqir Muhammad Jatoi. Flood emergency medical camps have also been created in Dadu, providing maternal women’s health and health care services for displaced families.
The army and the civil authorities pursue joint operations in Punjab and Sindh while flood waters are wreaking havoc through river belts. Rescue efforts have been congratulated by many victims, but officials warn that the extent of travel and destruction remains enormous.
With constant pressure slopes and large expanses of agricultural land and underwater villages, the twin provinces are faced with one of the most serious emergencies of recent memory floods.
(With an additional contribution of our correspondents to Lahore and Karachi)
