India’s Jhelum water release triggers flooding in Pakistan amid tensions

New Delhi: Tensions between India and Pakistan intensified sharply on Saturday as Pakistan reported severe flooding along the Jhelum River, hours after India released a massive volume of water, allegedly without prior notification.

The move comes days after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).

Floodwaters inundated areas around Muzaffarabad and Chakothi, prompting Pakistan to declare a water emergency..

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The Jhelum River, which Pakistan relies on heavily for irrigation and drinking water, was allocated primarily to Pakistan under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank. With over 75% of Pakistan’s agricultural economy depending on the Indus River system, any disruption poses a critical threat to food security and rural livelihoods.

India’s release of water follows its April 24 announcement to suspend the IWT, citing Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians earlier this week.

 The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the action part of a broader set of “punitive steps” aimed at recalibrating ties with Islamabad.

Indian officials framed the release of Jhelum waters as a strategic assertion of sovereignty. "The remote is now in India's hands," a government source told NewsDrum.in.

On social media, Indian commentators described the move as a "historic correction" of what they termed the strategic mistakes made during the original 1960 agreement, attributing responsibility to former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. 

Others pointed out that with the treaty suspended, India was no longer legally required to warn Pakistan about water releases, especially during peak flows.