Water Emergency Declared In Hattian Bala, India Suspends Indus Waters Treaty Over Terror Attack
New Delhi: Pakistan accused India of suddenly releasing water into the Jhelum river without informing Pakistani authorities on Saturday. A report by Dunya News said a sudden surge in the water levels of the river was witnessed near Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir and blamed India for it.
The local administration imposed a water emergency in Hattian Bala, which is roughly 40 km from Muzaffarabad on the banks of Jhelum river. The locals were also warned through announcements in mosques. The report said that the announcement has created panic among the residents living near riverbanks.
Pakistani authorities condemned it and called it “complete violation of international rules and water agreements”. The allegations came after India decided to suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam carried out by Pakistan-based terrorists.
BREAKING: Local sources state that flooding in the Jhelum River, spanning northern India and eastern Pakistan, resulted from India releasing water without prior warning. pic.twitter.com/vn1aQjCekN
— Intel Tower🗽 (@inteltower) April 26, 2025
Under the agreement, India was granted exclusive control over the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej — while Pakistan was given rights over the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab — despite their origins in Indian territory in Jammu and Kashmir. The treaty has endured through wars and diplomatic breakdowns, but the recent attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of security personnel and civilians, appears to have redrawn the lines.
The decision is poised to have far-reaching consequences for Pakistan. The country is heavily dependent on the Indus River system for its agriculture, which forms the backbone of its economy. One of India’s key obligations under the treaty has been to ensure the timely dissemination of hydrological data to Pakistan.