India has sharply reduced the flow of Indus river water to Pakistan, resulting in a serious water crisis, especially in Sindh and Punjab provinces. This drop is affecting farmers, delaying crop planting, and worsening fears of water shortages just weeks before the monsoon arrives.

Pakistan Faces Serious Water Shortage as India Cuts Indus River Flow

Pakistan is facing a major water crisis after India significantly reduced the flow of Indus river water. This is badly affecting provinces like Sindh, where the water supply has dropped by nearly 17% compared to the same time last year.

On June 16, India released only 1.33 lakh cusecs of water to Sindh, down from 1.6 lakh cusecs last year. 

Punjab also saw a slight drop, receiving 1.26 lakh cusecs instead of 1.29 lakh which is a 2.25% decrease. 

This drop is causing serious problems for farmers who rely on this water to plant their Kharif (monsoon) crops. 

With not enough water in the rivers and reservoirs, and the monsoon still weeks away, the situation is becoming worse.

The water reduction comes after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, following a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. 

The treaty, signed in 1960 and supported by the World Bank, was an agreement on how to share six rivers between India and Pakistan. 

It gave India control over the three eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) and Pakistan rights to the three western ones (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab).

Now that the treaty is suspended, India has also stopped sharing important river data with Pakistan. 

This data helps Pakistan prepare for floods by tracking sudden water surges. Without it, the country is at greater risk during the upcoming rainy season.

To make things more difficult, India is trying to use more of the western rivers for its own needs. It’s planning new dams and canals to divert water for domestic use, which would further reduce the amount flowing to Pakistan.

As a result, Pakistan is currently releasing more water than it’s getting, which is causing serious imbalances in the system. 

Key reservoirs like Mangla and Tarbela are nearing their “dead storage” levels, the point at which water can no longer flow out naturally. 

Experts warn that if the monsoon doesn’t arrive soon, the water shortage could get even worse, affecting both farming and drinking water supplies, especially in Sindh and Punjab, which are crucial to Pakistan’s agriculture.

Pakistan has officially protested against India’s actions, saying that the treaty can’t be ended by one country alone. But India has stood firm, retaliating that it won’t reconsider unless Pakistan stops supporting cross-border terrorism.

Meanwhile, the growing water crisis is putting Pakistan’s food supply and agricultural economy at serious risk. A coming heatwave is expected to make the situation even more difficult.