Published on: August 26, 2025 11:48 AM
The Foreign Office on Monday said India had shared flood warnings with Pakistan but stressed that the alerts were routed through diplomatic channels rather than the Indus Waters Commission, as stipulated under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
India in April held the IWT in abeyance following the attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 – an incident New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan termed any attempt to suspend its water share an “act of war”, noting the IWT had no provision for unilateral suspension.
Under paragraph 8 of Article IV of the IWT, “each party agrees to communicate to the other party, as far in advance as practicable, any information it may have in regard to such extraordinary discharges of water from reservoirs and flood flows as may affect the other party”.
Amid the situation, a missive on Sunday from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad notified the government of a high flood in Jammu’s Tawi River that flows into the Chenab River.
Confirming the development, FO Spokesperson Shahfqat Ali Khan said: “On August 24, 2025, India communicated flood warnings through diplomatic channels, rather than through the IWC as required under the IWT.
“We reaffirm that India is obligated to fully comply with all provisions of the treaty. India’s unilateral declaration to hold the treaty in abeyance constitutes a serious violation of international law and could have significant negative consequences for peace and stability in South Asia.”
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday issued orders to evacuate the people living in areas around rivers and low-lying ones ahead of heavy rains and flood predictions across the province.
A statement by the chief minister’s office said that CM Maryam issued orders “to ensure timely evacuation of the stranded population in view of [the] arrival of flood torrents”.
She ordered access to “all possible available resources” to prevent loss of life, relocation of population from around rivers and low-lying areas to safe places, and prompt measures for the timely relocation of livestock to safe places, it added.
The chief minister directed authorities to “vigilantly monitor the flood situation of Sutlej River and other rivers”, make arrangements for the “accommodation, food and medical treatment” and provide “suitable temporary accommodation” to the flood victims, the statement read.
She also ordered the immediate provision of snakebite vaccines in the flood-affected areas, it added.
The statement also said that the district administration, Rescue 1122 and other departments in Kasur, Pakpattan, Taunsa Sharif and other flood-affected areas were directed to remain “alert and vigilant”.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Climate Change said on X that heavy rains in Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Lahore divisions were expected over the next 48 hours, “with a high risk of both riverine and urban flooding”. It advised citizens “to stay alert, follow safety precautions, and remain prepared during this period”.
The Pakistan Commission of Indus Waters reported “high flood level” in the Sutlej River at 10am, according to an alert by the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The alert issued measures urging district administrations across Punjab to maintain a “high level of preparedness and mitigation of the disaster”.
The measures include effective coordination and response, activation of flood monitoring and early warning systems, and accurate and timely dissemination of information on safety measures and evacuation plans.
Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a flood warning for the Chenab River and Ravi River during the next 48 hours.
In its weather advisory, it said that “moderate rainfall has commenced over the upper catchments of the Eastern Rivers”, adding that the intensity of rainfall was “likely to increase significantly”.
“Consequently, the flows in the Chenab River at Marala, Khunki and Qadir Abad, along with the nullahs and tributaries of the Chenab and Ravi, may rise high to very high flood levels during [the] next 48 hours,” the advisory read.
The PMD noted that the flood intensity in the Ravi River depended on the “releases from Madhupur Barrage in India”. “However, due to high to very high rainfall downstream of Madhupur Barrage and in the catchments of the nullahs of Ravi River, medium to high flood conditions may develop in the river.”
Moreover, Pakistani disaster management authorities on Monday issued fresh flood warnings for two major rivers as heavy monsoon rains continue to batter the country, with the death toll from weather-related incidents since late June climbing close to 800.
The most devastating spell of the monsoon began on August 15 and has killed at least 485 people in just 10 days. Since the start of the season on June 26, official figures show 798 deaths, underscoring the scale of the disaster in a country ranked among the most climate-vulnerable in the world.
“NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) has issued a flood alert for River Ravi over the next 48 hours, indicating a medium-level threat,” the authority said in its latest alert on Monday.
According to hydrological data, inflows at Thein Dam on the Indian side have reached 1,717 feet, or about 86 percent of its capacity.
“Downstream releases from Thein Dam, combined with rising nullah discharges on the Indian side, are likely to further elevate river flows,” the NDMA said.
Medium to high flows are expected in nullahs originating from the Pir Panjal Range, particularly Bein, Basantar and Deg, with low to medium flooding likely at Jassar in the next 24 hours.
