Pakistan Accuses India Of 'Weaponizing Water,' Warns Of Humanitarian Risk And Regional Fallout

Pakistan’s deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar, on Friday accused neighboring India of "weaponizing water" by releasing water from dams without prior notice, alleging the moves violate the World Bank–brokered Indus Water Treaty and threaten peace, food security and livelihoods in Pakistan.

Dar’s comments came a day after Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said it had formally written to New Delhi seeking clarification about what Islamabad described as irregular releases from the Chenab River. Pakistani officials said the most recent unannounced release was detected this week and coincided with a critical stage of the country’s agricultural cycle.

"Such illegal and irresponsible conduct has the potential to trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan," Dar told diplomats, stressing the historical tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. There was no immediate response from New Delhi.

Pakistani authorities say similar releases in September worsened flooding that devastated hundreds of villages in eastern Pakistan. India at the time said it had warned Pakistan about possible flooding, which was also driven by seasonal monsoon rains.

Indus Water Treaty And Recent Diplomatic Strains

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, governs the sharing of the Indus river system, which both countries rely on heavily. Under the treaty, India has primary control over the eastern rivers (Ravi, Sutlej and Beas) while Pakistan administers the western rivers, including the Jhelum, Chenab and the Indus.

Pakistan alleges that India has recently suspended elements of the treaty’s cooperative mechanisms — including advance notices, hydrological data sharing and joint oversight — leaving Pakistan more vulnerable to both floods and droughts.

In April, India unilaterally suspended parts of the water-sharing arrangements and downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan following the killing of 26 tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir. That period of heightened tensions escalated into tit-for-tat strikes in May, which the article says ended after then-U.S. President Donald Trump said he had brokered a ceasefire. Since then, relations have shown little sign of normalization.

Diplomatic Escalation And International Appeals

Dar said Pakistan has informed U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the president of the U.N. General Assembly, urging international attention and action. He also said Pakistan’s National Security Committee warned earlier this year that any attempt to stop or divert flows to Pakistan would be considered an "act of war."

"Water is life and cannot be weaponized," Dar said.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to the original story.