Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba spar, exchange strong words over Tulbul project

A simmering political rivalry in Jammu and Kashmir erupted into a public spat on Friday as National Conference leader and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti traded barbs on X over the proposed revival of the long-stalled Tulbul Navigation Project, a move that comes in the wake of India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan.

The exchange was triggered by Abdullah’s comment advocating for the resumption of the Tulbul project, aimed at regulating the flow of the Jhelum River through Wular Lake. The project has long been a source of contention with Pakistan, which claims it violates the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty. Construction was halted in 2007 due to diplomatic objections.

“India has rightly suspended the treaty,” Abdullah posted, adding that “The Tulbul project must be completed, not just as a strategic response, but as an economic imperative for Kashmir.”

He added on X with a video, “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. 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.”

His remarks drew sharp criticism from Mufti, who accused him of playing with fire at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, especially in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which Delhi has blamed on Pakistan-based groups.

She posted on X, “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 through the loss of innocent lives, widespread destruction and immense suffering such statements are not only irresponsible but also dangerously provocative. Our people deserve peace as much as anyone else in the country. Weaponizing something as essential and life giving as water is not only inhumane but also risks internationalizing what should remain a bilateral matter.”

Abdullah hit back, accusing Mufti of posturing for international sympathy. “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,” he wrote on X.

The dispute escalated into a broader commentary on their respective records in office. Supporters from both camps waded in, reviving decades-old grievances—from NC’s alliance with the BJP in the late 1990s to PDP’s coalition government with the same party post-2015. Mufti responded with a post that time will tell 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,” she said.

Jammu and KashmirMehbooba MuftiNews BriefOmar AbdullahTulbul projectWeb Exclusive