According to Indian media reports, on April 27, Pakistani Railway Minister Hanyif Abbasi warned India that Pakistan's 130 nuclear weapons are not for show but a strong deterrent force directly targeting India. "If you stop our water supply, we will stop your breath," he said.
Panic spreads among Pakistani people over India's water cut threat
According to a Reuters report on April 27, after a fatal armed attack in Kashmir, India vowed to cut off the upstream water supply, which caused panic in Pakistan.
Tahoor, a 40-year-old Pakistani farmer, said: "If they stop the water supply, this whole area will turn into a desert and so will the entire country." He added: "We will starve to death."
Tahoor's farm covers nearly 2 hectares and is located in Sindh Province in southeastern Pakistan. From there, the Indus River, originating from the Tibetan region of China and winding through India, flows into the Arabian Sea.
Tahoor's concerns were shared by more than 15 other Pakistani farmers and several experts, especially considering the recent lack of rainfall.
On the 23rd, India first announced the suspension of its implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which was mediated by the World Bank, until "Pakistan credibly and irrevocably renounces cross-border terrorism." The treaty guarantees 80% of the water for Pakistan's farms.
Both government officials and experts from both sides say that India cannot immediately stop the water supply. However, the situation may begin to change in a few months.
Indian Water Resources Minister Chandrakant Raghunath Patil said on social platform X: "We will ensure not a single drop of Indus River water flows into Pakistan."
Two anonymous Indian government officials said that India may start diverting water to its own farmland within a few months while planning hydropower dams that could take four to seven years to complete.
Vohra, who recently retired as head of India's Central Water Commission, said that India would immediately stop sharing hydrological flow data of rivers passing through India. He said: "Without this information, they cannot formulate plans."
Economists say that not only agriculture, but also water shortages could affect power generation and possibly weaken the economy.
Nadeem Shah has a 150-acre farm in Sindh Province. He also expressed concern about drinking water issues.
A staff member at a Pakistani agricultural research company said: "At present, we have no alternative options. Rivers under the jurisdiction of the treaty not only support crops but also cities, power generation, and livelihoods for millions of people."
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Latest India-Pakistan situation! India announces major arms purchase! Pakistan Defense Minister speaks out
According to the latest Reuters report, Pakistan's Defense Minister Asif said on Monday (the 28th) that the impending "military invasion" by neighboring India put Pakistan on high alert.
In addition, according to Agence France-Presse's report on April 28, India's Ministry of Defense said on the 28th that India had signed a contract to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France.
It is worth noting that the Indian military said on the 28th that Indian soldiers exchanged fire with Pakistani troops for the fourth consecutive night in the Kashmir region. However, Pakistan has not yet responded to this claim. Indian media reported that the Indian Navy held a long-range strike exercise in the Arabian Sea on the 27th.
On the 22nd of this month, a gun attack targeting tourists occurred in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region, causing significant casualties. Subsequently, both India and Pakistan took tough measures, escalating the situation.
Foreign media: Pakistan Defense Minister says "military invasion" by India is imminent, and Pakistan is on high alert
"We have reinforced our forces because the situation is urgent. In this case, we must make some strategic decisions, and these decisions have been made," Asif told Reuters in his office in Islamabad.
Reuters reported that Asif said that with increasingly intense rhetoric from India, the Pakistani military had informed the government of the possibility of an attack. He did not elaborate further on what he believed to be the reasons for India's imminent "invasion."
In addition, it was reported that Asif said that Pakistan was on high alert.
India has not seen any official response to the above information.
India announces "large-scale" arms purchase
According to Agence France-Presse's report on April 28, India's Ministry of Defense said on the 28th that India had signed a contract to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets from France. This massive deal includes single-seat and two-seat aircraft.
An Indian Defense Ministry spokesperson told AFP reporters: "We have signed the agreement to purchase 26 Rafale fighter jets."
After delivery, these jets will serve alongside the 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets already procured by India. This is part of India's efforts to rapidly modernize its military hardware.
The aircraft, manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France, are expected to be deployed on India-made aircraft carriers to replace Russia's MiG-29K jets.
Indian media said that this deal will include training, equipment, weapons, and other related logistical support for the Indian army.
Reportedly, during Prime Minister Modi's visit to France for the Bastille Day celebrations in 2023, the Indian government announced its intention to purchase an additional 26 Rafale jets.
India says Indian-Pakistani clashes continue; Indian military conducts long-range strike drills
Indian military said on the 28th that Indian soldiers clashed with Pakistani troops for the fourth consecutive night in the Kashmir region. However, Pakistan has not yet responded to this claim. According to Indian media reports, the Indian Navy conducted a long-range strike drill in the Arabian Sea on the 27th.
According to Agence France-Presse, the Indian military issued a statement on the 28th saying that Pakistani soldiers fired small arms "without provocation" on the evening of the 27th to the early hours of the 28th, and Indian soldiers "responded quickly and effectively." The statement provided no further details and did not mention any casualties. The Pakistani military has not yet confirmed the above report.
Reuters reported on the 28th that an Indian official confirmed that two of the suspects in the shooting incident on the 22nd are Pakistanis. Pakistan denied involvement in the attack and called for a neutral investigation.
According to the website of The Hindu on the 28th, the Indian Navy conducted exercises in the Arabian Sea on the 27th to demonstrate India's naval vessels' long-range precision strike capability.
The Indian Navy said in a statement that Indian naval vessels successfully conducted multiple anti-ship missile firings, releasing photos and videos of ships launching BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
It was reported that these exercises were planned before the gun attack incident in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region on the 22nd. On the day of the exercise, Indian Prime Minister Modi stated that the attackers and their accomplices would face the harshest possible responses regarding the incident.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said in an email to the media on the 27th that the United States is closely monitoring developments and maintaining contact with both the Indian government and the Pakistani government at multiple levels, urging all parties to strive for responsible solutions.
Recent timeline of developments in India-Pakistan relations:
April 22: A gun attack targeting tourists occurred in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region, resulting in 26 deaths and over ten injuries.
April 23: India determined that Pakistan was linked to the gun attack and announced a series of measures against Pakistan, including suspending a key water resources allocation treaty between the two countries, closing border crossings, expelling Pakistani personnel, etc.
April 24: The Office of Pakistan's Prime Minister issued a statement saying that as a countermeasure, Pakistan's National Security Committee decided to close the Wagha border crossing, revoke visas issued to Indians, declare India's High Commissioner's military attaché in Pakistan as "persona non grata", close Pakistan's airspace to Indian airlines, and suspend all trade with India.
April 25: Officials from Pakistan and India said that soldiers from both countries exchanged fire in the Kashmir region early in the morning.
April 26: Indian media reported that there was another exchange of fire between Indian and Pakistani troops in the Kashmir region late on the 25th, but the Pakistani military denied it.
April 27: Both Pakistani and Indian militaries said that soldiers from both countries exchanged fire in the Kashmir region from the evening of the 26th to the early hours of the 27th.
Original title: "Pakistani side: 'You cut off our water, I'll cut off your air supply'"
Column Editor: Gu Wanquan; Text Editor: Lu Xiaochuan; Main picture source: IC Photo; Picture Editor: Shao Jing
Source: Author: Reference News, Securities Times
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7498496371683639808/
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