Flooding has struck large areas of Pakistan, particularly parts of Lahore, following a technical fault at the Ravi headworks in India, causing a surge of water downstream that exacerbated flooding in low-lying areas, reported on Friday, citing officials. The situation has been made more alarming by India’s failure to notify Pakistan about the rising waters in the Ravi River or to inform authorities about the technical issue at the Madhopur Headworks.
Reports indicate that only three flood alerts were shared with Pakistan since Sunday, one concerning the Tawi River, a tributary of the Chenab, and two others related to the Sutlej River. The malfunction at Madhopur Headworks reportedly caused up to four floodgates to fail, inundating numerous villages and submerging vast tracts of agricultural land.
The 54 floodgates at Madhopur, situated on the Ravi in Gurdaspur district near Pathankot, have seen minimal maintenance and upgrades over the years, highlighting decades of neglect. The headworks channels water into the Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) for irrigation in East Punjab, supplying water to Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and surrounding areas.
The mishap resulted in water releases reaching 220,000 cusecs at Shahdara near Lahore, displacing thousands of residents and submerging farmland. The Flood Forecasting Division reported exceptionally high floods until Thursday night, attributing part of the crisis to uncontrolled flows from Madhopur Headworks. Even local Indian officials criticized the situation as “sheer negligence,” pointing to delayed repairs and crores spent annually on upkeep.
Under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), timely sharing of flood data is required to prevent such disasters. The current crisis highlights gaps in IWT compliance and the urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure. With more rains forecast, bilateral dialogue between India and Pakistan is essential to avoid future escalations.
Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commissioner, Mehar Ali Shah, declined to comment on the specific queries regarding Madhopur Headworks’ malfunction and India’s failure to alert Pakistan about the high flows in the Ravi River.
This incident underscores the vulnerability of Pakistan’s flood-prone regions and the critical importance of cross-border coordination to protect lives and property.
