Water aggression against Pakistan: India curtails Jhelum flows after Chenab

Islamabad: Pakistan has formally taken up the issue of India’s water aggression with New Delhi.

According to the Ministry of Water Resources, the Pakistani Commissioner for Indus Waters has officially raised the matter with India, and Pakistan has sought an explanation over the abnormal reduction in water flows in the River Chenab.

Pakistan has maintained that, under the Indus Waters Treaty, the evacuation of dead storage is strictly prohibited.

The Ministry stated that a marked improvement in the Chenab’s flow began on 17 December. The Irrigation Department continues to monitor the river closely, and stability has returned following the earlier abnormal decline in water levels.

The Ministry further reported that flows at Marala are gradually returning to normal; however, between 10 and 16 December, the Chenab recorded flows far below the historical average of the past decade. At one point, the river’s discharge dropped to a critically low level of 870 cusecs.

It may be recalled that India’s water aggression against Pakistan has persisted, and following the curtailment of flows in the Chenab, a reduction in water levels has also been recorded in the River Jhelum.

According to the Irrigation Department, water flow in the Marala–Ravi Link Canal has fallen to zero, while discharge in the Upper Chenab Canal currently stands at 6,300 cusecs.

It is pertinent to note that only a few days ago, India had abruptly released 8 million cusecs of water into the Chenab without prior intimation.