Islamabad/New Delhi: Flood alerts have been issued in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, as India suddenly released waters from the Jhelum River without informing Pakistani authorities, causing mass panic among citizens.
The sudden discharge of water on Saturday engulfed the region in chaos, with Pakistani authorities announcing a water emergency in the Hattian Bala district of POK, as increased water levels were sighted in the area of Muzaffarabad, according to Dunya News.
The water, which entered from Kashmir's Anantnag and rose through the Chakothi area of POK, forced residents along the river bank to flee to safer grounds.
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Flood like situation in Muzaffarabad, PoK, as a large volume of water was released by India from jhelum river today. pic.twitter.com/Pwh3X3vtvw
Islamabad condemned the move, calling it a “complete violation of international rules and water agreements", and said that it will retaliate against the so-called "Indian aggression".
While New Delhi did not issue any comment, the move has escalated tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were gunned down.
In response to the April 22 terror attack, India quickly suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, declared all Pakistani military advisors to its High Commission in New Delhi persona non grata and expelled them, recalled its own military advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, told all Pakistani nationals to leave India, and thinned its diplomatic mission in Pakistan.