Pakistan has criticized India for continued violations of the Indus Waters Treaty and on Thursday expressed serious concern over fluctuations in the flow of the Chenab River, announcing that it had written to India seeking an explanation.
Speaking at a weekly news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi addressed what he called “abrupt variations” in the river’s flow, an issue that has attracted media attention in recent days.
It was reported on December 8 that India had released a surge of water into the Chenab River. According to reports, the flow in the Chenab river had risen to 58,300 cusecs after India released water from its dams.
“Pakistan is looking at these variations with extreme concern and seriousness,” Andrabi said. “They allude to unilateral release of water in the Chenab River from India, without any prior notification.”
Andrabi said Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner had contacted his Indian counterpart to seek clarification under the procedures outlined in the Indus Waters Treaty.
“Any manipulation of river flow by India, especially at a critical juncture in our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the lives and livelihoods as well as food and economic security of our citizens,” Andrabi said.
He urged India to answer the questions of Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner, avoid any unilateral change in the river flow and comply with its obligations under the treaty.
The Indus Waters Treaty, he said, is a “binding international agreement” that has served as “an instrument of peace and security and stability in the region.”
Violations of the treaty, Andrabi said, threaten “the inviolability of international treaties and compliance with international law” and pose serious risks to “regional peace, principles of good neighborliness and norms governing intergovernmental relations.”
Read: Chenab river rises as India releases dam water, flow hits 58,300 cusecs
“The international community must take notice of India’s continued disregard of a bilateral treaty and advise India to act responsibly and in accordance with international law and established norms as well as its own obligations,” he said.
“Pakistan remains committed to peaceful resolution of disputes and issues with India, but will not compromise the existential water rights of the people of our country,” Andrabi added.
In April, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty after an attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people — an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without providing evidence. Pakistan called any attempt to withhold its water share under the treaty an “act of war,” noting that the accord contained no provision for unilateral suspension.
During the briefing, the foreign ministry spokesman also spoke about an incident this week in which Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar removed a female doctor’s hijab, which drew widespread criticism.
Read more: US banks on Pakistan for Gaza force’s success
Andrabi noted that the episode was followed by “public taunting” by a minister in Uttar Pradesh, who defended Kumar before retracting his remarks.
“A senior political leader’s forced removal of the Muslim woman’s hijab and subsequent public ridicule of this act is deeply disturbing and warrants strong condemnation,” he said. “The action risks normalizing the humiliation of Muslim women in India. The behavior also demonstrates public disrespect for India’s religious minorities, especially its Muslim citizens,” Andrabi added.
“We urge all responsible stakeholders and the Indian government to recognize the seriousness of this incident and to reaffirm their commitment to the protection of minority rights, respect for religious freedom and the preservation of human dignity,” he said.
The State Department separately addressed the role of diplomats in legal proceedings, stressing that it is inappropriate for ambassadors to participate in legal proceedings. “While diplomats enjoy certain immunities, they should not be involved in ongoing legal proceedings,” the spokesman said.
Read also: Norway defends the envoy’s presence at the SC hearing
When asked which ambassadors are prevented from appearing in court, the spokesman clarified that no ambassador has the right to participate in a case without prior approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Diplomats’ participation in court is strictly subject to official permission”.
Andrabi was referring to when Norwegian Ambassador Per Albert Ilsaas attended the Supreme Court meeting of the husband and wife lawyer duo, Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and Hadi Ali Chattha, which caused a stir on social media.
The Foreign Office had summoned the Norwegian envoy and urged him to “adhere to the established norms of diplomatic engagement” following his “unwarranted” attendance.
The spokesperson also said they had no information on reports of the army chief’s planned visit to the United States, citing an article published by Reuters that said Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected to hold meetings with US President Donald Trump to discuss the Gaza peacekeeping force.
