NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah and former CM Mehbooba Mufti on Friday engaged in war of words over reinstating the Tulbul Navigation Project after the suspension of Indus Waters Treaty .
The argument started after Abdullah suggested on Thursday a possible resumption of construction at the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Wullar Lake, considering the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. "The Wular lake in North Kashmir. The civil works you see in the video is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage. It was started in the early 1980s but had to be abandoned under pressure from Pakistan citing the Indus Water Treaty . Now that the IWT has been 'temporarily suspended' I wonder if we will be able to resume the project," Abdullah posted on his personal X handle.
He indicated that completing the Tulbul project would facilitate Jhelum's use for navigation. "It will give us the advantage of allowing us to use the Jhelum for navigation. It will also improve the power generation of downstream power projects, especially in winter," he elaborated.
Taking to X, Mufti shared Abdullah's post and reacted, "At a time when both nations have just stepped back from the brink of war—with Jammu and Kashmir once again paying the highest price through loss of innocent lives, destruction, and suffering—such provocative statements are deeply irresponsible."
She stressed that J&K residents need tranquillity and constancy, rather than political actions that could heighten tensions. "Weaponizing water—a source of life—is not only inhumane, but it also threatens to internationalize an issue that must remain strictly bilateral," she noted.
Replying to Mufti's remarks, Abdullah wrote, "Actually what is unfortunate is that with your blind lust to try to score cheap publicity points & please some people sitting across the border, you refuse to acknowledge that the IWT has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K. I have always opposed this treaty & I will continue to do so. Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is in no way, shape, size or form warmongering, it’s about correcting a historic injustice that denied the people of J&K the right to use our water for ourselves."
Continuing the argument, Mufti replied, "Time will reveal who seeks to appease whom. However, it’s worth recalling that your esteemed grandfather Sheikh Sahab once advocated for accession to Pakistan for over two decades after losing power. But post being reinstated as Chief Minister he suddenly reversed his stance by aligning with India. In contrast the PDP has consistently upheld its convictions & commitments & unlike your party whose loyalties have shifted dramatically according to political expediency . We don’t need to stoke tensions or adopt warmongering rhetoric to validate our dedication. Our actions speak for themselves."
"Is that really the best you can do? Taking cheap shots at a person you yourself have called Kashmir’s tallest leader. I’ll rise above the gutter you want to take this conversation to by keeping the late Mufti Sahib and “North Pole South Pole” out of this. You keep advocating the interests of anyone you want to & I’ll keep advocating for the interests of the people of J&K to use our own rivers for our own benefit. I’m not going to stop the water, just use more of it for ourselves. Now I think I’ll do some real work & you can keep posting," replied Abdullah.
Following the Pahalgam terror incident last month, the Centre suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, which previously governed water-sharing between India and Pakistan.
The argument started after Abdullah suggested on Thursday a possible resumption of construction at the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Wullar Lake, considering the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. "The Wular lake in North Kashmir. The civil works you see in the video is the Tulbul Navigation Barrage. It was started in the early 1980s but had to be abandoned under pressure from Pakistan citing the Indus Water Treaty . Now that the IWT has been 'temporarily suspended' I wonder if we will be able to resume the project," Abdullah posted on his personal X handle.
He indicated that completing the Tulbul project would facilitate Jhelum's use for navigation. "It will give us the advantage of allowing us to use the Jhelum for navigation. It will also improve the power generation of downstream power projects, especially in winter," he elaborated.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s call to revive the Tulbul Navigation Project amid ongoing tensions between India & Pakistan is deeply unfortunate. At a time when both countries have just stepped back from the brink of a full-fledged war—with Jammu and Kashmir bearing the brunt… https://t.co/LZrVAhIukQ
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 16, 2025
Taking to X, Mufti shared Abdullah's post and reacted, "At a time when both nations have just stepped back from the brink of war—with Jammu and Kashmir once again paying the highest price through loss of innocent lives, destruction, and suffering—such provocative statements are deeply irresponsible."
She stressed that J&K residents need tranquillity and constancy, rather than political actions that could heighten tensions. "Weaponizing water—a source of life—is not only inhumane, but it also threatens to internationalize an issue that must remain strictly bilateral," she noted.
Replying to Mufti's remarks, Abdullah wrote, "Actually what is unfortunate is that with your blind lust to try to score cheap publicity points & please some people sitting across the border, you refuse to acknowledge that the IWT has been one of the biggest historic betrayals of the interests of the people of J&K. I have always opposed this treaty & I will continue to do so. Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is in no way, shape, size or form warmongering, it’s about correcting a historic injustice that denied the people of J&K the right to use our water for ourselves."
Time will reveal who seeks to appease whom. However, it’s worth recalling that your esteemed grandfather Sheikh Sahab once advocated for accession to Pakistan for over two decades after losing power. But post being reinstated as Chief Minister he suddenly reversed his stance by… https://t.co/2jSBku731K
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 16, 2025
Continuing the argument, Mufti replied, "Time will reveal who seeks to appease whom. However, it’s worth recalling that your esteemed grandfather Sheikh Sahab once advocated for accession to Pakistan for over two decades after losing power. But post being reinstated as Chief Minister he suddenly reversed his stance by aligning with India. In contrast the PDP has consistently upheld its convictions & commitments & unlike your party whose loyalties have shifted dramatically according to political expediency . We don’t need to stoke tensions or adopt warmongering rhetoric to validate our dedication. Our actions speak for themselves."
"Is that really the best you can do? Taking cheap shots at a person you yourself have called Kashmir’s tallest leader. I’ll rise above the gutter you want to take this conversation to by keeping the late Mufti Sahib and “North Pole South Pole” out of this. You keep advocating the interests of anyone you want to & I’ll keep advocating for the interests of the people of J&K to use our own rivers for our own benefit. I’m not going to stop the water, just use more of it for ourselves. Now I think I’ll do some real work & you can keep posting," replied Abdullah.
Is that really the best you can do? Taking cheap shots at a person you yourself have called Kashmir’s tallest leader. I’ll rise above the gutter you want to take this conversation to by keeping the late Mufti Sahib and “North Pole South Pole” out of this. You keep advocating the… https://t.co/R6wGL2o4tL
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 16, 2025
Following the Pahalgam terror incident last month, the Centre suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, which previously governed water-sharing between India and Pakistan.
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