Pakistan Alleges India Choked Chenab River Flow, Warns of Crop Crisis Amid Indus Treaty Suspension

Pakistan’s water authority says Chenab flow dropped by 90% after India shut dam gates, risking serious irrigation shortages for early Kharif crops.

May 6, 2025: India Restricts Chenab River Flow, Pakistan Warns of Kharif Crop Shortage Amid Treaty Suspension

Islamabad/New Delhi — Tensions between India and Pakistan have spilled over into the domain of water diplomacy following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives. Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has raised alarm over a sharp decline in Chenab River inflows, attributing it to India’s decision to close the gates of key dams.

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Muhammad Khalid Idrees Rana, spokesperson for IRSA, told Bloomberg that India has reduced Chenab’s water flow by 90%, calling the move “unprecedented.” He warned that Pakistan may have to cut water supply to farms by 20%, jeopardizing early Kharif season crops, which are heavily dependent on irrigation from the river.

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🔹Gates Closed at Salal, Baglihar Dams

Indian authorities have reportedly shut all gates of the Baglihar and Salal dams on the Chenab. To minimize impact on marine ecology, limited water is being released from one gate at each dam. India traditionally releases water periodically after generating electricity but appears to have altered this routine.

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Pakistan, which depends heavily on the Indus river system for agriculture, views any disruption as a serious threat. The system includes six rivers—Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—with usage rights divided under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, now suspended by India in protest against Pakistani-linked terrorism.

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🔹IRSA Advisory: Shortages Could Worsen

In a statement issued Monday, IRSA’s advisory committee noted a critical shortfall at the Marala headworks on the Chenab and projected a 21% overall water shortage for the remaining early Kharif season (until June 10). If the flow remains low, further cuts may follow, it warned. For the late Kharif season (June 11–September), a 7% shortfall is currently forecast.

“The sudden drop in Chenab inflows will create acute irrigation stress. We are monitoring daily,” IRSA said.

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🔹Tensions Mount After Pahalgam Attack

The water conflict follows heightened diplomatic and military tensions after the April 22 terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, where 26 people were killed. India blamed Pakistan-based terror groups and froze the Indus Waters Treaty, shut the Attari border, and revoked visas for Pakistani nationals.

Pakistan had warned earlier that any halt in water flow would be seen as an act of war. India, however, has reiterated its right to utilize water within its territory and dismissed Pakistan’s protest.

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🔹Tags:
Indus Waters Treaty, Chenab River, Pahalgam terror attack, India-Pakistan water dispute, IRSA, Salal Dam, Baglihar Dam, Early Kharif crop, Water crisis Pakistan, India blocks river flow, PahalgamTerrorAttack,