Pakistan said yesterday that it had detected “abrupt variations” of water flows on a river crucial to its farmers, accusing neighbouring India of releasing water without warning in defiance of a major treaty that New Delhi suspended this year. India in April announced it was suspending the Indus Water Treaty in the lead up to armed conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours and following a deadly militant attack in India-administered Kashmir that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan, which denied involvement. Pakistan has said any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water into the country would be considered an “act of war”.Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar told foreign diplomats yesterday that Pakistan’s water treaty commissioner had written a letter to his Indian counterpart over “unusual, abrupt variations” observed in the flow of the Chenab river from December 7-15, similar to changes detected in April and May. “These variations in water flows are of extreme concern for Pakistan, as they point to unilateral release of water by India,” he said, according to a ministry statement.India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment.India suspended the treaty following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22 that killed 26 people.New Delhi blamed Islamabad for backing the attack – which Islamabad denies – and said it was suspending the water treaty in response. – AFP