India Extends Goodwill Gesture To Pakistan After Indus Treaty Suspension
Islamabad: Amid strained diplomatic ties, India reportedly extended a goodwill gesture on Sunday by alerting Pakistan about rising flood levels in the Tawi River. According to Pakistani media reports citing official sources, the information was shared through the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, since the usual Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) communication channel has remained suspended following the April Pahalgam terror attack.
While neither government has officially confirmed the development, if true, it would mark the first time India has used its diplomatic mission to convey such critical information. Normally, such updates are shared by the Indus Water Commissioners under the long-standing Indus Waters Treaty, which has been in abeyance after the deadly Pahalgam attack that killed 25 Indian tourists and one Nepali national, injuring several others.
Reports suggest India warned of a potential major flood in Jammu’s Tawi River. Acting on this input, Pakistani authorities issued flood alerts.
Background On The Indus Waters Treaty
Signed in 1960 under World Bank mediation, the treaty governs water-sharing between India and Pakistan. It grants India rights over 20% of the Indus system waters (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), while Pakistan receives 80% (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab), with limited usage rights allowed to each on the other’s share.
Following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India suspended the treaty, halting data-sharing on river water levels. This move cut off an important early-warning system for Pakistan during monsoons, which historically relied on Indian updates to evacuate vulnerable communities in Punjab and Sindh.
Floods In Pakistan
Meanwhile, relentless monsoon rains continue to devastate Pakistan. Since June 26, at least 788 people—including 200 children and 117 women—have died, with over 1,000 injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The worst-hit region is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 469 deaths, followed by Punjab (165), Sindh (51), Gilgit-Baltistan (45), Balochistan (24), Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (23), and Islamabad (8).
Across the border, India’s Jammu and Kashmir Jal Shakti Minister Javed Ahmed Rana ordered continuous monitoring of river systems, especially the Indus basin tributaries—Jhelum, Ravi, and Tawi. Advisories have been issued urging people to stay away from rivers, lakes, and landslide-prone zones amid forecasts of heavy rainfall, flash floods, cloudbursts, and landslides in high-altitude areas until August 27.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
