Indus Water Commissioner reports sharp drop in Chenab levels, flow stood at just 1,800 cusecs on December 16, data recorded
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a meeting in Islamabad on September 30. Photo: x.com/File
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has accused India of violating the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), warning that New Delhi’s alleged manipulation of water flows to Pakistan could trigger a humanitarian crisis, as water levels in the Chenab River continue to fall.
The warning comes amid fluctuations in water regimes in the river system. On December 8, reports indicated that India had released a flood of water into the Chenab River, pushing the flow up to 58,300 cusecs. However, Pakistani officials said levels had since fallen sharply.
A day earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi criticized India for its “continued violations” of the treaty, expressing serious concern over what he described as an “abrupt variation” in the river’s flow, an issue that has attracted national media attention.
Read: Pakistan accuses India of manipulating the flow of the Chenab River
Indus Water Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah told reporters on Friday that a significant drop had been detected in Chenab levels, adding that Pakistan had formally raised the issue with its Indian counterpart.
He said the river’s flow was recorded at just 1,800 cusecs on December 16, accusing India of refusing to release prior hydrological data, in violation of the treaty.
Shah said Pakistan had fully complied with its obligations, warning that India’s lack of cooperation was a “serious problem”.
Meanwhile, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Friday reported a total discharge of 75,600 cusecs from outlying stations against an inflow of 37,800 cusecs. Data released by IRSA showed that the Indus River at Tarbela Dam stood at 1,486.39 feet, 84.39 feet above dead level, with an inflow of 18,900 cusecs and an outflow of 27,000 cusecs.
At Mangla Dam, water levels were recorded at 1,202.40 feet, which is 152.40 feet above dead level, with an inflow and outflow of 3,300 cusecs and 33,000 cusecs, respectively.
Discharges at Kalabagh, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur were recorded at 33,500 cusecs, 24,500 cusecs, 27,800 cusecs and 1,400 cusecs, respectively. From the Kabul River, 7,700 cusecs were released at Nowshera, while 1,900 cusecs were released into the Chenab at Marala.
Earlier, addressing members of the diplomatic corps, Dar expressed concerns over what he described as “unusual and abrupt” variations in Chenab flows twice this year – between April 30 and May 21, and again from December 7 to 15.
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He said India’s alleged manipulation of water during critical phases of Pakistan’s agricultural calendar threatened lives, livelihoods and food security.
He accused India of disrupting the exchange of advance information, hydrological data and joint monitoring mandated by the treaty, warning that the disruptions exposed Pakistan to possible floods and droughts. Dar also argued that India’s conduct violated international law, including Article 26 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
He said Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner had already sought clarification from India on the mechanisms of the treaty, urging New Delhi to end what he called “unilateral manipulation” of river flows.
Dar further alleged that India was trying to undermine the treaty through hydropower projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle, saying these violated the IWT specifications. He said increasing India’s water storage capacity through dam construction posed serious economic risks to Pakistan and endangered livelihoods.
The deputy prime minister also accused India of putting the treaty on hold in an “illegal and unilateral” manner, saying it amounted to water weaponization. He claimed that Pakistan had recorded a sharp reduction in Chenab flows and was awaiting India’s response to an official communication on the issue.
Dar noted that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had recently reaffirmed the validity of the treaty and its dispute resolution framework, saying Pakistan would not accept India’s non-compliance “with impunity”.
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He recalled that Pakistan’s National Security Committee had termed any measure aimed at diverting or stopping the flow of rivers into Pakistan an “act of war”. Dar urged the United Nations Security Council and world capitals to pressure India to restore full implementation of the treaty and end the “weaponization of water.”
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful resolution of disputes, but said the country would not compromise on its “existential rights to water.”
Recall that in April, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty after an attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region, in occupied Kashmir, which left 26 dead, an incident that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan. Islamabad denied the allegation and said denying its share of water under the treaty would constitute an “act of war”, stressing that the agreement did not contain any provision for unilateral suspension.
