An unrelated video is being shared with the claim that it shows water scarcity in Pakistan after India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty
On 22 April 2025, a terrorist attack targeting tourists occurred in the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. The Resistance Front (TRF), a designated terrorist organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. According to multiple media reports (here & here), the attackers opened fire on male non-Muslim tourists after reportedly questioning them about their religion. So far, 26 people have lost their lives in the incident, with several others injured (here & here). Following the Pahalgam attack, India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani military advisors from New Delhi, and withdrew its military advisors from Islamabad. All Pakistani nationals with SAARC visas were told to leave within 48 hours, and Indian citizens were advised to return from Pakistan immediately.
Amidst this, a video going viral on social media (here and here) shows a crowd of children, women, and elderly people standing near a barricade-like fence, holding empty vessels in their hands. The post is shared with the claim that after the Indian government suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, people in Pakistan are running out of water, and the video depicts the water scarcity in Pakistan. Let’s verify the claim made in the post through this article.
Claim: The video shows water scarcity in Pakistan following the Indian government’s suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.
Fact: The viral video is unrelated to the Pahalgam attack on 22 April 2025 and does not depict water scarcity in Pakistan following the Indian government’s suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. The video was uploaded by a photojournalist from Gaza on Instagram on 27 December 2024, confirming that it predates the attack. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Upon close observation, we noticed a watermark of Doaa Albaz on the viral video. Using this clue, we searched the internet and found Doaa Albaz’s Instagram profile, where she identified herself as a photojournalist from Gaza. She had posted the same video (archived) on her handle on 27 December 2024. The description of the post depicts a heartbreaking scene where displaced individuals, enduring harsh conditions, are seen pleading for a simple meal of rice to feed their starving families. This confirms that the video has no connection to the ongoing tension between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on 22 April 2025.
Using related keywords, we found several news reports (here, here, and here) highlighting the food scarcity and the conditions in Gaza. According to these reports, the people of Gaza are facing a severe humanitarian crisis, struggling to survive on less than a loaf of bread per day due to extreme food shortages. Many community kitchens, once essential for survival, have been forced to close, while bakeries are overwhelmed with long queues for bread. The situation is further exacerbated by restrictions on aid, soaring food prices, and Israeli airstrikes, which continue to put lives at risk.
Following the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), India is set to cut off water supplies to Pakistan, including halting data sharing, diverting rivers, and initiating dam projects to harness water for domestic use. These actions have reportedly raised concerns among Pakistani farmers, who are already facing challenges due to reduced rainfall
Though we could not independently verify the exact date or location of the video, since it predates the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, it is unrelated to the attack.
To sum up, an old and unrelated video is being shared with the claim that it shows water scarcity in Pakistan after India suspended the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty.