Foreign Office of Pakistan has demanded an explanation from India concerning the variation in the flow of the Chenab River on Thursday. Pakistan has accused India of manipulating river flow at a critical point in the agricultural cycle and saying that it has approached New Delhi for clarification.
The local media of Pakistan quoted the Pakistani officials as saying that India had released 58,000 cusecs of water at Head Marla on December 7-8, however, the water flow sharply reduced to 800-1000 cusecs till December 17, the drop has been below the 10-year historical average of 4,000-10,000 cusecs for this period.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Indrabi in a weekly media briefing in Islamabad said that India had failed to share prior information or operational data on the Chenab flows, a practice he said that New Delhi had previously followed under the 1960 India’s Water Treaty.
“Any manipulation of river flow by India, especially at a critical time of our agricultural cycle, directly threatens the life and livelihood as well as food and economic security of our citizens,” he said.
“We call upon India to respond to the queries raised by the Pakistani Indus water commissioner, refrain from any unilateral manipulation of river flow and fulfil its obligations in letter and spirit under the Indus Water Treaty provisions,” he said.
New Delhi earlier this year had put the treaty in abeyance following the attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir. India had blamed Pakistan for the terrorist attack, a charge that Islamabad vehemently denied. The terrorist attack led to the military escalation between the two countries that continued for four days in May 2025.
Read more: Pakistan’s military chief Asim Munir in spotlight over Trump’s Gaza plan
Pakistan has already called India’s suspension of the treaty as a violation of international law and an act of war. In a press statement released on Thursday, Indrabi said that Pakistan observes the sudden variation in the Chenab’s flow with extreme concern and seriousness.
“The international community must take notice of India’s continued disregard of a bilateral treaty, and counsel India to act responsibly and in accordance with international law and established norms as well as its own obligations,” Andrabi said.
“Pakistan remains committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and issues with India but will not compromise on the existential water rights of the people of our country,” he said.
He said that the country’s Indus Waters Commission had written to his Indian counterpart seeking clarification in line with the procedures outlined in the treaty. He says that Pakistan has fulfilled its obligations under the Indus Water Treaty and has urged the international community to take note of India’s continued violation of a bilateral treaty and to counsel New Delhi to act responsibly under international law. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment towards peaceful resolution of disputes with India but would not compromise on its rights.