ISLAMABAD - Amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and India since past few weeks, India has stopped water of three eastern rivers from flowing into Pakistan.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, Indian Union Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Mehghwal claimed that 0.53 million acre-feet of water has been stopped from flowing into Pakistan, Indian media reported. The minister added that the water has been stored and whenever Rajasthan or Punjab needs it, that water can be used for drinking and irrigation purposes.
Last month, tension between Pakistan and India soared after the Pulwama attack in Indian occupied Kashmir, in which killed more than 40 Indian soldiers. Blaming Pakistan for the attack, India violated Pakistan’s airspace in which Pakistan Air Force shot down two of Indian warplanes. Pakistan also arrested one Indian pilot during the airstrike.
Since the Pulwama attack, India has been threatening to stop sharing its flow of water to Pakistan. Nitin Gadkari, India’s transport and water resources minister, had said, “Our government has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan.”