Islamabad:
Pakistan stopped on Friday for directly accusing India of using water as a weapon to flood the country, but pointed out that the information shared by New Delhi about water flows “was not as detailed as in the past” and overlooked the channel established under the Indo Water Treaty.
In addition, the fresh discharge from India to the Sutlej River brought another wave of floods in Punjab on Friday, while the water of the devastation last week emerged downstream in Sindh. The authorities said they were preparing for the maximum levels in the next few days.
“I am not in a position to comment if the water was stored in a certain way, to be launched at a given time. But with respect to the exchange of information … the Indian side has shared certain information about the floods in different rivers through diplomatic channels. However, it is not as detailed as it was in the past,” said foreign office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan in his weekly presentation.
He was asked if India deliberately released water to exacerbate floods in Pakistan.
“In addition, the established channel of the Indo water commissioner has not been used. In that context, we reiterate that India must fully comply with all the provisions of the Indo Water Treaty,” he added.
The floods caused by unprecedented monsoon rains and the release of water by India have wreaked havoc in the center and south of Punjab. Floods have broken the record of almost 40 years in Punjab. Some observers suspect that India could have deliberately stored water and discharged in a way to flood Pakistan.
On relations with Washington in the context of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Shafqat said that the questions about the position of the United States should go to US officials. He insisted that the SCO was not aimed at any country, but a vehicle for “common prosperity, peace and stability.”
He said that Pakistan’s foreign policy remained guided by article 40 of the Constitution, the UN Charter and International Law. The spokesman described Pakistan’s relations with Russia as a “priority”, pointing out the “positive and impulse trajectory” of ties.
Without going into details of the recent discussions at the level of the summit, he confirmed that Islamabad was serious about the search for BRICS membership and that Moscow had supported the application of Pakistan.
In a statement by Defense Minister Talibán Mullah Yaqoob, the spokesman said it seemed to be “an exercise in irony”, emphasizing that the sanctuaries enjoyed by the terrorists in Afghanistan, particularly the group known as Fitna al Khwarij, referred to a “serious problem” between the two neighbors.
“It has been discussed with the maximum seriousness at very senior levels of the State between the two countries … it remains a problem that launches the relations between two nearby neighbors,” he said.
Mullah Yaqub in a recent interview insisted that there were no terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil and blamed Pakistan for his own security failures.
When asked about the alleged cross -border attacks in Afghanistan, the spokesman without explicitly mentioning the Afghan territory insisted that the security forces only carried out “specific operations in the border regions” against terrorist threats.
Last week, the Taliban government summoned a Pakistani envoy in Kabul and registered a protest for reports of air attacks. “Pakistan respects the sovereignty of Afghanistan and remains firm in its commitment to promote dialogue and cooperation … we urge the Afghan authorities to ensure that their territory is not used as a launching launch for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” he added.
Answering other questions about UN concerns about Afghan refugees, Shafqat stressed that Pakistan had been the most generous host for more than five decades. “What we are saying is that people who do not have documentation will be sent back. It is our territory, we decide who stays in … Any Afghan that wants to come, is more than welcome with a valid visa. We have a very liberal visa regime for Afghans,” he added.
Floods
In Khanewal, the polish embankment in the head of Sidhnai, which had given to the extreme pressure of the floods, was repaired by the authorities. However, the situation of flooding in Punjab remains precarious, with rescue and relief operations that continue throughout the day.
The water release of the additional river of India has unleashed devastation in southern Punjab, with strong floods in the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers broke several embankments, immersing dozens of villages.
India has officially informed Pakistan from another water release to Sutlej. After the notification of the High Commission of India, the Ministry of Water Resources of Pakistan issued a flood alert, warning of high flood levels in Harike and Ferozepur.
According to Punjab PDMA, the entry of water into the Sutlej will rise even more, and a high flood alert has been declared throughout the province. DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia said the civil administration, the army and the relevant departments were on alert.
In Ganda Singh Wala, the Sutlej flow reached 327,000 dangerous cusecs. There were also high flood levels in Sulaimanki and Islam Headworks, substantial currents and settlements in four Tehsils of Bahawalpur.
The situation of the Ravi River is also alarming: the Sidhnai head faces extremely high flood levels, while the water entry in Head Balloki has exceeded 138,760 Cusecs. Similarly, Chenab continued to climb near Khanki, the head Qadirabad and Chinint.
In fine, water in the Shujaabad channel, near Qasim Bela, increased its original capacity three times, causing overflow in the surrounding areas. Shershah’s embankment also overflowed, immersing several settlements where residents did not have the opportunity to evacuate.
The entry of flood water into the Sikandari drain has caused alarm for nearby populations. The constant pressure on the Akbar flood embankment has caused violations, with flood torrents that extend towards Akbarpur, Basti Kotwal and adjacent locations.
The Sutlej in Ganda Singh Wala had inclined to extraordinary levels earlier this week, forcing a rapid deployment of the army rescue teams in the affected districts. Help operations are ongoing in Talamba, Mian Channu, Abdul Hakeem and Muzaffarhrh, where thousands of people and cattle have already been evacuated.
In Sahiwal, the floods of the RAVI affected 49 villages. To administer the crisis, the army and the civil administration have established 30 help camps. Similar operations are in Progreso in Behrampur, Rangpur, Jawana Bangla, Muradabad, Doaba and Ashiq Chowk, where the army boats have been rescuing the grenades families.
Medical camps in flood help centers are providing free treatment and distributing food, clean water and medications. Displaced families have praised army staff for their service and sacrifices during the crisis.
According to the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 49 people have died in incidents related to floods so far, while almost 3.9 million have been affected by the growing waters in the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers.
The PDMA report said that more than 3,900 locations have suffered damage. Around 1,839 million people stranded by floods have moved to safer areas. More than 1.3 million animals have also been relocated.
The Punjab Help Commissioner, Nabeel Javed, confirmed that the Provincial Government, with army assistance, is working to guarantee the protection of life, property and livestock.
Sindh prepares for incoming waters
As Punjab fights with devastation, the waters of the floods entered Sindh, where the authorities are running to prepare for the high flows in the main barriers. Prime Minister Murad Ali Shah presided over an emergency meeting to review the situation, ordering officials to establish relief camps, evacuations of plans and reinforce the embankments.
The Sindh government has already established 528 relief camps in vulnerable districts, although officials said many residents are reluctant to leave their homes. However, 109,320 people have been transferred from the Katcha (riparian) areas to a safer land.
Evacuations are being made in Sukkur, Kandiaro, Rohri and Dadu. In the areas of Sukkur and the nearby Katcha, 42 people were transferred to a safe place, while another 21 residents were relocated to Mohabbat Derogle Village in Kandiaro.
In New Sukkur, 21 individuals, including 14 men, a woman and six children, were rescued from the Hajji Faqir Muhammad Jatoi village. Flood emergency medical camps have also been established in Dadu, providing OPD health services and women’s subject for displaced families.
The army and civil authorities continue joint operations in Punjab and Sindh while the waters of floods cause ravages in river belts. Many victims have praised help efforts, but officials warn that the displacement and destruction scale remains enormous.
With embankments under constant pressure and large sections of cultivation land and under water, the twin provinces face one of the most severe flood emergencies in recent memory.
(With additional contributions from our correspondents in Lahore and Karachi)
