Overflowing Jhelum panics PoK residents, seen as Pahalgam aftereffect

By Nava Thakuria*

Amid India’s mounting pressure on Pakistan for its patronage of terrorism in Kashmir over decades, several Pakistani media outlets have attributed the upsurge in the Jhelum River—flowing from Jammu & Kashmir into Pakistan—as by New Delhi. Mainstream newspapers and news channels in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi reported the overflow of Jhelum as a probable consequence of India's suspension of a 65-year-old bilateral river treaty following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on 22 April 2025, in which 26 innocent Indian tourists were killed by Islamist terrorists.

India responded strongly with a diplomatic offensive, including closing the integrated Attari-Wagah border crossing, suspending visa services for Pakistani nationals, and abrogating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), signed in 1960 by then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Pakistan President Mohammed Ayub Khan. India’s Foreign Ministry announced the treaty’s suspension would remain until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably renounced its support for cross-border terrorism. Islamabad, in turn, vowed retaliatory measures. The National Investigation Agency has since taken charge of probing the Pahalgam attack.

On 27 April, The Express Tribune, a popular Pakistani newspaper, reported unexpected flooding in the Jhelum River in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). “The sudden release of water triggered a high-level flood, causing widespread panic among local communities overnight,” the report claimed, adding that the Muzaffarabad administration declared a water emergency. Announcements from mosques warned riverside residents to adopt immediate precautions, while emergency protocols were initiated.

The News International echoed similar concerns, alleging the flood violated international laws and river agreements. Daily Times suggested that India had released water into the Jhelum without prior notification, causing a sharp rise in levels. The local administration advised residents near the riverbanks to stay away. Dunya News reported an 8-foot rise in water levels in Muzaffarabad, while Pakistan Today noted similar surges in Chakothi. Ary News claimed the water release, allegedly from the Uri hydroelectric dam, aimed to create a flood-like scenario in Pakistan.

Indian authorities remained silent on speculations regarding the flood. The water level, however, subsided the following day. Experts attributed the overflow to melting snow and heavy rain in Kashmir’s catchment areas. Some raised concerns that reservoir flushing operations at Indian hydroelectric projects might have exacerbated the flooding. They cautioned that repeating such releases during the sowing season could impact irrigation and agriculture in Pakistan’s Punjab province.

Meanwhile, following the Pahalgam attack, India’s Information & Broadcasting Ministry issued an advisory urging all media outlets, especially news channels, to refrain from live coverage of defense operations or troop movements. “No real-time coverage, dissemination of visuals, or reporting based on ‘sources-based’ information concerning defense activities should be undertaken. Premature disclosure of sensitive details could inadvertently aid hostile elements,” the advisory stated, citing examples like the Kargil War and the Mumbai attacks, where unrestricted media coverage had unintended consequences.

The advisory emphasized the media's legal and moral responsibilities, urging stakeholders to exercise vigilance and uphold national security. It warned that violation of Cable Television Network Rules, specifically Rule 6(1)(p), would result in legal action. Media coverage should be restricted to official briefings by designated government representatives until the conclusion of operations.

The ministry concluded, “Media and digital platforms play a vital role in safeguarding national security. Let us ensure that collective actions do not compromise the safety and effectiveness of our forces.”

---

*Senior journalist based in Guwahati

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Unpaid overtime, broken promises: Indian Oil workers strike in Panipat

By Rosamma Thomas Thousands of workers at the Indian Oil Corporation refinery in Panipat, Haryana, went on strike beginning February 23, 2026. They faced a police lathi charge, and the Central Industrial Security Force fired into the air to control the crowd.

Search This Blog