The external affairs ministry on Friday rejected reports that the release of river waters from the Indian side caused flooding in Pakistan and pointed out that official statements from Pakistani authorities acknowledged a rise in river levels because of heavy monsoon rain in catchment areas. A recent increase in the flow of the Chenab river was a “direct consequence of intense monsoon rainfall over Jammu and the adjoining catchment areas” during July 20-23, Jaiswal said. (AFP File) The comments by external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a regular media briefing came against the backdrop of the government’s decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance for as long as Pakistan continues to support cross-border terrorism. India suspended the treaty last year as part of a package of punitive measures following the Pahalgam terror attack. Jaiswal pointed to Pakistani media reports alleging that the Indian side is “deliberately causing flooding in Pakistan” and described the accusations as “baseless and contrary to the facts”. A recent increase in the flow of the Chenab …