Pakistan - May 24, 2025 India's decision to suspend the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan has triggered alarm in Pakistan, where millions rely on rivers like the Chenab, which runs through both countries. For over six decades, the Chenab River has flowed into Pakistan under a treaty that withstood wars, political turmoil, and military standoffs. After India's announcement that it would suspend its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan is bracing for a future where even water can become a weapon. The move has especially worried farmers, as water levels are already low. India's unilateral decision could disrupt flows that millions depend on, especially during the critical growing season. India says the suspension will remain until Pakistan "credibly renounces cross-border terrorism." However, Pakistani officials call the move a serious breach of an agreement brokered by the World Bank in 1960, one that divides the Indus Basin's six rivers between the two countries and guarantees Pakistan access to the western rivers, including the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. "If the timing of water releases is disrupted, even slightly, it throws off our entire irrigation schedule. The rice sowing season is about to begin, and rice requires a substantial amount of water. If the flow is interrupted, the entire agricultural system comes under threat," said Muhammad Bilal, sub-engineer at the Punjab Irrigation Department. Pakistan's agricultural economy, especially in Punjab, depends on a steady rhythm of water. The wheat, rice, and sugarcane grown in the province feed millions. Any disruption, even temporary, could reduce yields and drive up food prices in a country already struggling with inflation. Fifty-year-old Muhammad Younis, a humble farmer toiling in the sun-scorched fields of Gujrat district, where Pakistan meets the tense border with India, is gripped by a growing sense of dread. "If India cuts off or delays the water, we can't sow our crops. And when the water finally comes, it's a flood, drowning our fields and destroying whatever yields we hoped for. We're left unable to plant, unable to harvest," he said. While India currently lacks the storage capacity to fully block river flows, especially during high-flow monsoon months, the greater fear is the erosion of predictability. Uncertainty about timing, volume, or sudden releases could trigger flash floods or drought-like conditions downstream. "There are two kinds of implications due to this Indus water. First is the high flows and the other one is low flows. If there is a low flow, then there is no fish or fish activity, no invertebrates plus aquatic degradation, and if there is a high flow then there will be a severe impact on the river bank vegetations, which inversely impact the whole biodiversity," said Aleem Butt, an environment specialist. The Indus Waters Treaty was hailed as one of the most successful water-sharing agreements in the world. It provided not just water, but peace of mind. Now, both sides are locked in competing legal strategies, with India rejecting the arbitration route and Pakistan warning of potential conflict if water becomes a tool of pressure. "If the Indus Waters Treaty is breached, then the existing flows would be reduced, it is estimated that it may reduce up to fifteen to twenty percent. Our Punjab's agriculture mainly depends on the Chenab River, eighty percent of the contribution of water comes from the Chenab River, so [if] the water [is] reduced, it will have a major impact on our agriculture," said Rana Tajamal Hussain, Director General of Agriculture and Water Management, Punjab. For now, flows continue, but the future remains uncertain. If the treaty collapses completely, Pakistan fears not just water scarcity, but greater instability in an already volatile region. The Chenab has long been a symbol of life and cooperation between two nuclear-armed neighbors. Today, it stands at the heart of a new standoff, one with potentially devastating consequences for people on both sides of the border. SHOTLIST: Sialkot, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 1. Aerial shots of Chenab river; 2. Cattle, river; 3. Various of river, agricultural machinery; Lahore, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 4. SOUNDBITE (Urdu, dubbed in English) Muhammad Bilal, sub-engineer,Punjab Irrigation Department (starting with shot 3/ending with shot 5): "If the timing of water releases is disrupted, even slightly, it throws off our entire irrigation schedule. The rice sowing season is about to begin, and rice requires a substantial amount of water. If the flow is interrupted, the entire agricultural system comes under threat."; Sialkot, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 5. Aerial shots of farmland, river; 6. Various of farmer Muhammad Younis working in field; 7. SOUNDBITE (Urdu, dubbed in English) Muhammad Younis, farmer (starting with shot 6): "If India cuts off or delays the water, we can't sow our crops. And when the water finally comes, it's a flood, drowning our fields and destroying whatever yields we hoped for. We're left unable to plant, unable to harvest."; 8. Various of river, dry land; 9. Aerial shot of river; Lahore, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Aleem Butt, environment specialist (starting with shots 8-9/ending with shot 11): "There are two kinds of implications due to this Indus water. First is the high flows and the other one is low flows. If there is a low flow, then there is no fish or fish activity, no invertebrates plus aquatic degradation, and if there is a high flow then there will be a severe impact on the river bank vegetations, which inversely impact the whole biodiversity."; Sialkot, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 11. Aerial shot of river; Lahore, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 12. SOUNDBITE (English) Rana Tajamal Hussain, Director General, Agriculture and Water Management, Punjab (ending with shots 13-14): "If the Indus Waters Treaty is breached, then the existing flows would be reduced, it is estimated that it may reduce up to fifteen to twenty percent. Our Punjab's agriculture mainly depends on the Chenab River, eighty percent of the contribution of water comes from the Chenab River, so [if] the water [is] reduced, it will have a major impact on our agriculture."; Sialkot, Pakistan - May 24, 2025 13. Various of river, dam; 14. Farmers using driving agricultural machinery; 15. Cattle; people operating agricultural machinery. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]