Islamabad – In an unprecedented move, as bilateral ties are under strain, India has issued a flood warning to Pakistan concerning the Tawi River in Jammu, even as the old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) is lingering.
The message, delivered by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, is the biggest bilateral communication since a military standoff in May.
The caution is issued as Pakistan grapples with devastating monsoon rains that have killed almost 800 people since late June.
An official message released by the Indian High Commission stated that the warning was issued on Sunday, August 24, and was in regard to a high flood level in the Tawi River. This life-saving tributary originates in Indian-controlled Kashmir and joins the Pakistani Chenab River, impacting the border regions of Sialkot and Gujrat downstream.
Although sharing of such data is normally a regular process under the IWT, the recent communication is of significance as India had made the treaty in abeyance after a terror attack in April.
Future of the Treaty in Doubt
A 1960 treaty brokered by the World Bank, known as the Indus Waters Treaty, has long been touted as an example of international water sharing, having survived several wars and decades of bitter relations. It assigns the three rivers of the east (Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej) to India and the three rivers of the West (Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab) to Pakistan.
Although it has proven to be resistant, the future of the treaty has been in doubt since India suspended its activities, a move that New Delhi attributed to what it described as Islamabad’s support of cross-border terrorism. Pakistan has always rejected the accusations, threatening that any attempt to stop the share of water will be termed as an act of war.
Havoc Caused by Recent Rains
After the warning, the Pakistani officials, including the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab, have also issued warnings. District administrations in the vulnerable areas have been requested to initiate flood observation and early warning systems so that the response is coordinated.
The timing of the alert by India is critical, given that that the monsoon season has already reaped havoc in Pakistan, with officials reporting close to 800 deaths since the season began on June 26. The recent spell, which commenced on August 15, has been the most fatal, with more than 485 deaths being reported within a span of 10 days.
