Indus water commissioner reports sharp drop in Chenab levels, flow stood at just 1,800 cusecs on December 16 recorded data
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during a meeting in Islamabad on September 30. Photo: x.com/File
Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State Senator Ishaq Dar has accused India of violating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), and warned 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 fluctuating water patterns in the river system. On December 8, reports indicated that India had released a surge of water into the Chenab river, pushing the flow up to 58,300 cusecs. However, Pakistani officials said levels have since dropped sharply.
A day earlier, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi slammed India for “continued violations” of the treaty and expressed serious concern over what he described as “abrupt variation” in the river’s flow, an issue that has drawn domestic media attention.
Read: Pakistan accuses India of manipulating Chenab river flow
Indus Water Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah told reporters on Friday that a significant drop in Chenab levels had been detected, adding that Pakistan formally raised the matter with its Indian counterpart.
He said the river’s flow was recorded at only 1,800 cusecs on December 16, and accused India of withholding advance hydrological data in violation of the treaty.
Shah said Pakistan had fully complied with its commitments and warned that the lack of cooperation from India was a “serious matter”.
Meanwhile, the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Friday reported a total release of 75,600 cusecs from rim 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, the water level was recorded at 1,202.40 feet – 152.40 feet above dead level – with inflow and outflow of 3,300 cusecs and 33,000 cusecs respectively.
Releases at Kalabagh, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur were logged 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, Dar addressed members of the diplomatic corps and expressed concern over what he described as ‘unusual and abrupt’ variations in the 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 halting the exchange of advance information, hydrological data and joint monitoring under the treaty, warning the disruption exposed Pakistan to potential 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.
According to him, Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner had already sought clarification from India under treaty mechanisms, urging New Delhi to stop what he called ‘unilateral manipulation’ of river flows.
Dar further alleged that India was trying to undermine the treaty through hydropower projects like Kishanganga and Ratle, claiming that these violated the IWT specifications. He said increasing Indian water storage capacity through dam building posed serious economic risks to Pakistan and threatened livelihoods.
The deputy prime minister also accused India of bringing the treaty into “illegal and unilateral abrogation”, saying this was tantamount to the weaponization of water. He claimed that Pakistan has recorded a severe reduction in the Chenab flows and is awaiting India’s response on an official communication on the matter.
Noting that the Permanent Court of Arbitration had recently upheld the validity of the treaty and its dispute settlement framework, Dar said Pakistan would not accept Indian non-compliance “as punishment”.
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He recalled that Pakistan’s National Security Committee had termed any move to divert or stop river flows to Pakistan an “act of war”. Dar called on the UN Security Council and global capitals to pressure India to restore full treaty implementation and halt the “weaponisation of water”.
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peaceful dispute resolution but said the country would not compromise on its ‘existential water rights’.
It may be recalled that in April India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following an attack on tourists in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam which killed 26 people – an incident which New Delhi attributed to Pakistan. Islamabad rejected the claim, stating that withholding its share of water under the treaty would constitute an “act of war”, pointing out that the agreement contained no provision for a unilateral suspension.
