New Delhi on Friday rejected Pakistan’s charge that India is deliberately causing flooding in the neighbouring country and reiterated that the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance until Islamabad stops its support to cross-border terrorism.
“We have seen Pakistani media reports alleging that India is deliberately causing flooding in Pakistan…such allegations are baseless and contrary to the facts,’’ Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing here.
He explained that the recent increase in flows in the River Chenab is a direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and adjoining catchment areas during 20–23 July.
Significantly, Pakistan’s own Flood Forecasting Division, Lahore, in its Flood Advisory issued on 22 July, attributed the high flood levels in the River Chenab to heavy rainfall over the upper catchment and stated that high flows at Marala were expected to persist before gradually receding as rainfall over the catchment decreased, the spokesperson pointed out.
He said that the rise in river flows is, therefore, a natural hydrological response to heavy monsoon rainfall and not the result of any deliberate action by India. ‘’Attempts to portray a weather-driven flood event as an upstream intervention are factually incorrect, technically untenable, and contradicted by Pakistan’s own official flood advisories,’’ he added.
As regards allegations relating to flood warnings, the spokesperson said the river flows during this period did not reach extraordinary discharge levels requiring the issuance of special flood warnings. The observed flows were consistent with prevailing monsoon conditions over the upper catchments, as acknowledged by Pakistan’s own flood forecasting authorities.
‘’Any suggestion that India deliberately withheld flood-related information is, therefore, without factual basis. Nevertheless, like last year, India will share high-flood data with Pakistan on humanitarian grounds, through diplomatic channels as and when a situation arises,” he added.
Regarding the IWT, he said: ‘’our position remains unchanged and very clear. The Indus Waters Treaty remains in abeyance until Pakistan irrevocably and credibly abjures its support for cross-border terrorism”.