Pakistani Flood Alert Issued in Muzaffarabad: Alerts were raised throughout Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Saturday afternoon after a rapid increase in water levels in the River Jhelum.
Residents have accused Indian authorities of releasing water without prior notification to Pakistani officials.
Residents along the River Jhelum, stretching from the Chakothi border to Muzaffarabad, experienced a swift rise in water levels, raising concerns of a potential flood.
Pakistan asserts that this unannounced water release is part of India’s strategy to undermine the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in the aftermath of a recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
The local government in Muzaffarabad confirmed the abrupt surge in water levels, leading to the declaration of a water emergency in the Hattian Bala region of PoK.
In Hattian Bala, as well as in Ghari Dupatta, Majhoi, and Muzaffarabad, residents reported the increase in water levels and noted that mosques had issued warning announcements urging people living near the Jhelum River to evacuate to safer areas.
“A sense of panic has spread among those residing close to the riverbanks due to the warning announcements,” remarked a local from Ghari Dupatta.
Reports indicate that the water influx originated from India’s Anantnag region, passing through Chakothi.
“This situation was unforeseen, yet it was anticipated given India’s recent threats to disregard the IWT,” commented political analyst Javed Siddique.
Experts warn that India’s recent action of releasing water into the Jhelum River without informing Pakistan could heighten existing tensions between the two countries.
“It is important to remember that the Indus Waters Treaty has withstood three wars and numerous regional disputes between Pakistan and India. However, it now appears that India is willing to abandon this long-established agreement,” Siddique added.
Earlier, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed a neutral and transparent investigation into the Pahalgam incident.
Meanwhile, regional powers such as Iran and Saudi Arabia have reached out to both nations, offering to mediate to reduce tensions.
