'Undermining our region's stability': PDP slams Omar Abdullah for calling to scrap Indus Waters Treaty

NEW DELHI: The People's Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday criticised Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah for his recent comments about the Tulbul Navigation Project and the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). The party said such remarks could affect the "fragile" peace and ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC).

"Omar Abdullah’s remarks invoking the Tulbul Navigation Project and the control of water flow across the border are not just ill-timed but deeply irresponsible. At a moment when peace is fragile and the ceasefire is barely holding, such provocations only serve to inflame tensions," the PDP said in an official statement.

Advocating Water Conflicts Risks Ceasefire and J&K Most; PDP Cautions Omar

Omar Abdullah’s remarks invoking the Tulbul Navigation Project and the control of water flow across the border are not just ill-timed but deeply irresponsible. At a moment when peace is fragile and the… pic.twitter.com/WjJNw7moRC

— J&K PDP (@jkpdp) May 17, 2025

The PDP also referred to a 2002 resolution on the IWT in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative council. It said, "The resolution was moved by an NC MLC, not the PDP. It passed solely because the National Conference held a majority in the Upper House."

This response followed a recent exchange between Omar Abdullah and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. The two leaders commented on the possible resumption of the Tulbul Navigation Project after the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.

The argument began when Abdullah posted on Thursday about restarting construction on the Tulbul Navigation Barrage at Wullar Lake. He wrote, "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," on his X handle.

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… pic.twitter.com/MQbGSXJKvq

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 15, 2025

Mufti shared Abdullah's post and replied, "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."

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… https://t.co/j55YwE2r39

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 16, 2025

Meanwhile, the PDP in its official statement described Abdullah’s comments on the IWT as "dangerous and short-sighted." It said such remarks could raise tensions and harm people especially in border areas.

"Our position is clear: We continue to demand fair compensation under the treaty to Jammu and Kashmir, but the IWT must not be used as a pretext for war rhetoric," the PDP said.

The party also said, "Introducing contentious issues like the Tulbul Project or the abrogation of the IWT in today’s volatile climate only pushes both countries closer to further confrontation. Those in J&K advocating such positions are undermining our region’s stability, jeopardizing the lives of our people living in the border states who suffer most when conflict escalates, and, most importantly, India’s interests."