India Treaty Suspension Worsens Pakistan Floods

Islamabad, August 30, 2025, 10:05 PM PKT — Flooding in Pakistan has escalated dramatically due to water flows from India, worsened by New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and the collapse of gates on the Madhopur barrage, Pakistani officials revealed, as torrential monsoon rains ravaged both nations this week, with more downpours forecast. Floodwaters struck Lahore’s outskirts and threatened Jhang, marking the worst flooding in nearly 40 years in eastern Pakistan, where over 1 million people were evacuated amid overflowing rivers from India.

The Indus Waters Treaty, regulating shared rivers for over six decades, was suspended by India this year after a militant attack, which Pakistan denies backing, halting critical water flow data. Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters that delayed or inadequate information hampered flood management, stating, “If the treaty was active, we could have mitigated the impact.” The Madhopur barrage’s middle section on the Ravi River was washed away, unleashing uncontrolled flows into Pakistan, though an Indian source denied deliberate flooding, citing Ranjit Sagar Dam control amid incessant rain. India sent four flood alerts since Sunday, including Friday’s warning, via its Islamabad embassy, but data sharing remains limited.

Iqbal, whose Narowal constituency was hit hard, linked climate change to unpredictable monsoons, urging data sharing as a humanity issue. Pakistani authorities blasted a Chenab River bank to divert water from Jhang, while the National Disaster Management Authority reported 820 deaths this monsoon, with widespread crop damage in the flooded east, home to half of Pakistan’s 240 million population. Web context on water disputes shows past tensions, while posts found on X reflect anger mixed with concern—some blame India, others demand cooperation. Critically, the narrative of “natural disaster” may mask geopolitical friction—web data hints at treaty disputes, and X sentiment suggests distrust in cross-border intent, pointing to potential escalation.