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August 28, 2025

Ahsan Iqbal slams India for ‘weaponising water’ as Punjab floods worsen

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Ahsan Iqbal slams India for ‘weaponising water’ as Punjab floods worsen
  • Minister says New Delhi’s abrupt dam discharges swell Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers to dangerous levels
  • Terms India’s action ‘worst example of water aggression’ and violation of IWT
ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday accused India of “weaponizing water,” alleging that New Delhi had deliberately released torrents from its dams, causing severe flooding in Pakistan’s Punjab province. “India has started using water as a weapon and has caused wide-scale flooding in Punjab,” Iqbal told a TV channel, citing the abrupt release of water into the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers. The floods have already claimed at least seven lives in Gujranwala Division, while thousands of acres of land remain submerged. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has advised the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to begin evacuating vulnerable communities along the katcha (riverine) areas and low-lying belts of the Indus River and its tributaries. In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed provincial and district administrations to expedite relief and rehabilitation efforts, ensure the on-ground presence of commissioners and deputy commissioners, document damage to homes and crops, and bar people from entering flood zones. Speaking separately in a video statement from Kartarpur, where he oversaw rescue operations, Iqbal denounced the water release as the “worst example of water aggression.” He said, “India stores water on rivers and suddenly releases it. This aggression threatens lives, property, and livelihoods. Some issues should be beyond politics, and water cooperation must be one of them.” The minister also criticized India’s failure to share timely information with Pakistan, calling it “inhumane and extremely regrettable.” His remarks come against the backdrop of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)—which obliges both countries to exchange information on water flows. However, India suspended cooperation under the treaty following the April Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). In June, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a binding Supplemental Award, ruling that New Delhi cannot unilaterally suspend the treaty and reaffirming the jurisdiction of the court and Neutral Expert in IWT proceedings. Although India did inform Pakistan of the water discharge, it did so via diplomatic channels rather than through the bilateral commission, as required under the treaty—a move Islamabad views as a breach of its spirit.
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