According to officials from the Punjab Irrigation Department, the river’s flow is being controlled from upstream by India through run of the river hydropower projects.
These controls, they say, have resulted in abrupt water releases at times and prolonged shortages at others, often without prior notice.
An official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described the situation as ‘deeply troubling.’ He explained that sudden water releases cause a sharp rise in river levels, while extended stoppages leave canals dry for days.
‘At one point, inflows at Marala headworks dropped to just 1,500 cusecs, forcing us to halt all outflows,’ he said.
Daily reports from the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) reveal alarming fluctuations between December 9 and 18. While inflows continued during this period, no outflows were recorded from December 11 to 17, leaving farmers downstream without water during a crucial stage of the wheat growing season.
The impact on growers has been severe. Ameer Langra, a farmer from Kabirwala in Khanewal district, said water shortages have made irrigation a daily struggle. ‘When canals run dry, we are forced to buy water from tube well owners,’ he said. ‘Some days there is a sudden surge, and other days not a single drop reaches our fields.’
He added that the problem has worsened since recent floods destroyed many tube wells, leaving farmers with fewer alternatives. ‘Our crops are suffering, and so are our livelihoods,’ he said, urging the government to step in and ensure steady water supply.
Farmers’ groups have also raised alarm. Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Khokar condemned what he called “water aggression,” saying the erratic flow violates the Indus Waters Treaty. ‘These sudden changes are disrupting agriculture and placing food security at risk,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office has formally approached India for clarification. During a weekly press briefing, spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Pakistan views the abrupt variations with ‘extreme concern.’ He confirmed that Pakistan’s Indus Water Commissioner has written to his Indian counterpart, seeking answers under treaty procedures.
‘Any manipulation of river flow at a sensitive point in our agricultural cycle threatens lives, livelihoods, and economic stability,’ Andrabi said, urging India to honor its treaty obligations in both letter and spirit.
Signed in 1960, the Indus Waters Treaty allocates the Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers to Pakistan. Officials stress that any unilateral action undermines not only the treaty but also regional peace and trust.
As farmers wait anxiously for stable water flow, the situation highlights how closely agriculture, diplomacy, and survival are tied together, drop by drop.
