PESHAWAR
\nThe water level in the River Chenab at Marala has risen following a marked reduction witnessed at the site between December 10 and December 16.
\nDuring the aforementioned period, the water level at the site was at its lowest in the last 10 years.
\nPakistan has said that India first emptied the Baglihar Dam and then refilled it.
\nIt has further said that under the Indus Waters Treaty, India cannot release the water it has stored.
\nLater, the country also took up the matter with India\u2019s Indus Water Commissioner.
\nHowever, on December 17, water level in the river began to rise again and on December 19, it became normal.
\nAccording to the Punjab Irrigation Department, presently the flow of water in the river is between 4,505 cusecs and 6,494 cusecs, and that there will be a close monitoring of the water level in future.
\nOn Friday, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar had said that attempts by India to weaponize water threatened peace and stability in South Asia, besides being a threat to Pakistan\u2019s food security.
\nIshaq Dar held an urgent briefing for foreign diplomats in Islamabad, during which the Foreign Minister maintained that India had consistently attempted to undermine the Indus Waters Treaty in a systemic manner
\nThe foreign minister said \u201cWe witnessed in April this year India\u2019s unilateral abeyance of the Indus Waters Treaty \u2026 But what we are witnessing now is material breaches by India that strike at the heart of the Indus Waters Treaty with escalating consequences both for regional stability and sanctity of international law.\u201d
\nOn Thursday, the Pakistan Foreign Office said it had sought a clarification from India via a letter over a sudden variation in the Chenab River\u2019s water flow.
\nIshaq Dar said that Pakistan would not compromise on its water rights as Indian actions posed a serious threat to peace and stability in South Asia.
\nHe made it crystal clear that stopping or diverting water will amount to war crimes. \u201cIndia\u2019s recent move is a clear example of using water as a weapon,\u201d he added.
\nIndia\u2019s avoidance of conflict resolution is a violation of international law, the minister said and added \u201cWe have observed unusual, abrupt variations in the flow of the Chenab River twice this year. These were observed from April 30 to May 21 and Dec 7 to Dec 15. These variations in water flow are of extreme concern to Pakistan as they point to the unilateral release of water by India into the Chenab River. India has released this water without any prior notification or any data or information sharing with Pakistan as required under the treaty.\u201d
\nDar said \u201cIndia\u2019s manipulation of water has prompted our Indus water commissioner to write a letter to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification on the matter as provided in the Indus Waters Treaty.\u201d
\nHe further said that India\u2019s most recent action clearly exemplifies the weaponization of water to which Pakistan has been consistently drawing attention of the international community. \u201cIndia\u2019s manipulation of water at a critical time of our agricultural cycle directly threatens the life and livelihood as well as the food and economic security of our citizens,\u201d he stressed.
\nIshaq Dar said Pakistan expected India to respond to the queries raised by the country\u2019s Indus water commissioner, refrain from any unilateral manipulation of river flows, and fulfil all its obligations in letter and spirit under the Indus Waters Treaty provisions. \u201cRecent violations of the treaty by India are just one example. India has consistently attempted to undermine the treaty in a systemic manner,\u201d he added.
\nThe minister said India\u2018s construction of hydropower projects such as Kishanganga and Ratle involved design features that violated the treaty\u2019s technical specifications. \u201cIndia continues to build illegal dams in sheer disregard of the treaty obligations to impose fait accompli. With the building of dams, Indian capacity to store and manipulate water is also increasing which endangers Pakistan\u2019s security, economy, and the livelihood of 240 million people,\u201d he elaborated.
\nDar said India had halted sharing information, hydrological data, and joint oversight required by the treaty, which had exposed Pakistan to floods and droughts. \u201cSuch illegal and irresponsible Indian actions have all the potential to trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan. \u201cIf India is allowed to violate the treaty and obligations under the treaty with impunity, we are setting a very dangerous precedent,\u201d he added.
\nOn the other hand, Indus Water Commissioner Mehr Ali Shah reaffirmed that India had no legal justification for blocking or altering river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty.
\nHe told foreign diplomats that India\u2019s repeated interference with the Chenab River violated international law and threatened Pakistan\u2019s water security. \u201cPakistan has acted responsibly at all times. India cannot unilaterally modify river flows,\u201d he said.
\nMehr stressed the need for international attention to prevent further disputes and emphasized Pakistan\u2019s adherence to treaty obligations, which included data sharing and joint monitoring.
\nThe commissioner highlighted three recent instances of India altering river flows and warned that these actions endangered agriculture, food security, and regional stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR The water level in the River Chenab at Marala has risen following a marked reduction witnessed at the site between December 10 and December 16. During the aforementioned period, the water level at the site was at its lowest in the last 10 years. Pakistan has said that India first emptied the Baglihar Dam […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-521162","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n