India, which makes its first great contact with Pakistan since the ceasefire in May, has warned Pakistan about future floods. According to the Foreign Office, “India was communicating flood warnings through diplomatic channels”.
The FO in their statement said Monday that India decided to communicate their warning through diplomatic channels rather than the Indus Waters Commission as required by the Indus Waters Treaty.
This warning had caused the provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab to issue a flood warning and instruct district administrations to activate monitoring and early warning systems.
In May, an attack that led to 26 people’s death in Pahagam, led to souring the connections between the two states. India basically accused Pakistan of having orchestrated the attack and as a result suspended the Indus Waters Treaty. Although the Treaty does not allow any provision of suspension, India declared that it will “hold the treaty in monkey, until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjoures its support for cross -border terrorism”.
Pakistan’s attitude has been to remind India that there is no such provision in the Treaty for any party unilaterally suspending it. Pakistan had taken this case to the Hague Court and appealed. Pakistan received a big victory when the permanent arbitration court in June issued a supplementary award in the IWT case in favor of Pakistan.
Pakistan subsequently called on India to maintain the Indus Waters Treaty and faithfully honor its treaty obligations.
This warning comes after Pakistan witnessed one of its deadliest monsoon rains, with a death toll of 800.
