Amid escalating tensions with India, Pakistan Commission on Indus Waters (PCIW) has submitted a detailed report to the federal government, highlighting significant violations of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) by New Delhi.
The government of Pakistan is preparing to brief the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the current situation in the region.
Although the Commissioner for Indus Waters was unavailable for comment, a source familiar with the matter revealed that the PCIW’s report underscores major breaches of the treaty, particularly in relation to the construction of hydroelectric projects on the western rivers, including the Jhelum and Chenab. The report notes that construction on the 450 MW project in the Chenab Basin began in 2005, followed by the 330 MW Kishanganga Hydropower Project in the Jhelum River Basin, initiated in 2010. Additionally, the 850 MW Ratle Hydropower Project has yet to commence.
The report also details other violations, including India’s failure to provide timely information about the release of floodwaters during the monsoon season, affecting the Ravi and Satluj rivers. Furthermore, the report highlights a recent, significant breach in which India unilaterally suspended the treaty, a move that is explicitly prohibited under the agreement.
Another source disclosed that India has consistently faced setbacks when Pakistan raised objections to the design of these projects, taking the matter to relevant forums such as the Neutral Expert mechanism and the International Court of Arbitration.
Ongoing proceedings related to some of these projects, including Ratle, are still under review at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an intergovernmental body located in The Hague.
