Reference News Network, December 20 report. According to the Associated Press, December 19 report, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishfaq Dar accused its neighbor India of "weaponizing water" by releasing water from Indian dams without any warning, claiming that this act violates the water-sharing treaty facilitated by the World Bank and threatens the peace and stability of the region.

A day before Dar made these remarks, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said it had written to New Delhi, requesting clarification on what it called unauthorized water releases from the Jhelum River.

Dar said that New Delhi was manipulating water flow during a critical time for Pakistan's agricultural cycle, threatening the livelihoods of the country's people as well as its food and economic security. He said that the most recent unauthorized release of water from the Jhelum River occurred this week. "This illegal and irresponsible act could potentially trigger a humanitarian crisis in Pakistan."

New Delhi has not yet made any comment.

Authorities said that a similar action in September exacerbated flood disasters, destroying hundreds of villages in eastern Pakistan. India at the time said it had warned Pakistan about possible floods, and that the flooding was also caused by monsoon rains.

The Indus Waters Treaty, facilitated by the World Bank in 1960, allows the two countries to share the waters of the Indus River system, which is the lifeline of both countries. The treaty has survived two Indo-Pak wars in 1965 and 1971, as well as a major border conflict in 1999.

In April this year, after 26 tourists were killed in Indian-administered Kashmir, India unilaterally suspended the water-sharing treaty and lowered diplomatic relations with Pakistan. This led to weeks of tension between the two countries, which eventually culminated in reciprocal missile attacks in May.

Dar told diplomats, "Water is life, and it cannot be weaponized."

Dar said that Pakistan's National Security Council had earlier warned that any attempt to block or alter the flow of water to Pakistan would be considered "an act of war."

(Translation: Xu Yanhong)

Original source: toutiao.com/article/7585854737405215283/

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