ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) mentioned that India had shared flood warnings with Pakistan, but focused on that the alerts were routed through diplomatic channels instead of the Indus Waters Commission, as required under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
The development comes when the tensions over water cooperation remained intense, as India earlier this year announced it was holding the IWT in abeyance.
The move followed the April attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 26 dead, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without presenting evidence. Pakistan strongly rejected the decision, warning that any attempt to unilaterally suspend its water rights would be considered an “act of war,” since the IWT does not allow either party to suspend the agreement.
The treaty, signed in 1960, obliges both parties under Article IV, paragraph 8, to communicate in advance any information related to extraordinary water discharges or flood flows that may affect the other side. Furthermore, Pakistan maintains that bypassing the Indus Waters Commission undermines the treaty’s mechanism for transparency and cooperation.
In this sense, Punjab is currently bracing for severe flooding with a fresh monsoon spell approaching. The provincial government evacuated thousands of residents along the Sutlej River on Saturday after water levels at Ganda Singh Wala surged to high flood levels, recording a dangerous flow of 129,866 cusecs.
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Meanwhile, FO Spokesperson Shahfqat Ali Khan, while addressing a media briefing on Monday, said: “On August 24, 2025, India communicated flood warnings through diplomatic channels, rather than through the IWC as required under the IWT.
