Pakistan Media Accuses India of “Water Warfare” in Pakistan; PMD Rejects

The Pakistan Meteorological Department’s (PMD) dismissed local media reports in Pakistan that India had ‘released water’ into Pakistani rivers, resulting in flooding. According to local media, “various villages in Pakistan were inundated after India released water in River Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab”.

PMD chief explained that massive rainfall had occurred in the India-Pakistan border region, which was the reason behind the extended flow of water in the rivers. He also explained that PMD had not received any reports of water being released into Pakistani rivers from the Indian side.

The PMD official said that the weather systems had generated floods across the border, mainly in the watershed areas of the Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi rivers. PMD chief Riaz said that India had followed its routine procedure and held water in its dam reservoirs. He said the water that eventually penetrated Pakistani villages was not ‘extraordinary’, and the water which did enter the Sialkot and Narowal areas was dealt with by the districts’ own officials.