India Blocks Chenab Water Release At Baglihar Dam, Eyes Kishanganga Next After IWT Move: Report
India has halted the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and is reportedly planning similar actions at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River, a source familiar with the matter told news agency PTI. These hydroelectric facilities — Baglihar in Ramban, Jammu, and Kishanganga in north Kashmir — enable India to regulate the timing of water releases.
The development comes in the wake of the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists. Following the attack, India announced the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a decades-old accord brokered by the World Bank in 1960 that governs the use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan.
Both the Baglihar and Kishanganga projects have previously drawn criticism from Pakistan. Islamabad had earlier sought World Bank arbitration over the Baglihar Dam, while the Kishanganga project has faced diplomatic and legal scrutiny, particularly over its impact on the Neelum River, a tributary of the Jhelum.
Pakistan Threatens To 'Destroy' Any Indian Structure Stopping Indus Water
Reacting sharply to India’s move, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif issued a warning on Friday, stating that Islamabad would retaliate against any construction on the Indus River that it sees as a violation of the IWT. Speaking on Geo News, Asif said, “Certainly, if they attempt to build any kind of structure, we will strike it.”
He further described such acts as a form of Indian “aggression” against Pakistan. “Aggression is not just about firing cannons or bullets; it has many faces. One of those faces is [blocking or diverting water], which could lead to deaths due to hunger and thirst,” Asif remarked. He added, “If they make any architectural attempt, then Pakistan will destroy that structure. But for now, we are heading to forums available to us, starting from the IWT. We will pursue this matter.”
According to a report in The Express Tribune, Pakistan is planning to issue a formal diplomatic notice to India over its unilateral suspension of the treaty. The decision reportedly followed initial consultations among the country’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Law, and Water Resources.
Meanwhile, Pakistan conducted a training launch of the Abdali surface-to-surface missile on Saturday. The missile has a range of 450 kilometres.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier vowed strong action in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. In a high-level meeting with senior defence officials on April 29, Modi reportedly asserted that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to determine the mode, targets, and timing of India’s response, according to government sources.
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