 "Pahalgam: Panic in PoK after India releases Jhelum water")
An unexpected spike in the Jhelum river’s water level has thrown Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) into pandemonium, after India, according to local officials, released water from the Uri Dam without notice on Saturday.
The unexpected release sparked a water emergency in PoK’s Hattian Bala area, causing inhabitants along the riverbanks to leave for safety.
The action heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, with Pakistani officials criticising it as a breach of international standards and the Indus Waters Treaty. On April 23, India stopped the IWT, blaming a terrorist incident in Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
Local officials in Muzaffarabad, PoK’s capital, and Chakoti blasted sirens over loudspeakers, encouraging residents to flee as water levels rose swiftly.
We had no warning. The water came rushing in, and we’re struggling to protect lives and property," said Muhammad Asif, a resident of Dumel, a community on the riverside in PoK.
A district administration official in Muzaffarabad released a brief statement recommending that locals to avoid sites near the Jhelum River.
“Due to India releasing more water than usual into the Jhelum river, there is moderate flooding,” according to a spokeswoman.
Moderate flooding has been recorded in the low-lying areas of Kohala and Dhalkot, with unverified claims of animal loss and agricultural damage.
The PoK government has accused India of premeditated “water terrorism,” citing the absence of previous notification as a violation of the IWT, a 1960 agreement mediated by the World Bank to control shared river supplies. The pact requires both countries to disclose information on water releases to avoid downstream damage.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsOfficials in PoK stated that the immediate emphasis remains on protecting citizens. The Hattian Bala government has established temporary shelters and deployed rescue personnel.
“We’re doing all we can, but the scale of this crisis is overwhelming,” said district commissioner Bilal Ahmed.
Authorities have also asked locals to stay away from riverbanks and not to fish or graze their animals close to the water.
Across the border, Indian officials have been tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying the release. Some Indian media sites, however, suggest that the discharge was a normal dam operation caused by heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir.
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