Jammu and Kashmir: A political clash has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti over the proposed revival of the Tulbul Navigation Project. The sharp exchange of words was triggered after Abdullah called for restarting the long-suspended project, citing the temporary suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. Mehbooba Mufti condemned the proposal as “provocative” amid ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan — prompting Abdullah to accuse her of trying to “please people across the border.” In a fiery rebuttal, Mufti questioned Abdullah’s shifting political stance, intensifying an already charged debate over the strategic and symbolic implications of the Tulbul project in the region.

Omar wants Tulbul Navigation Project resumption amid IWT suspension

In a post on X, Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reignited the debate over the long-abandoned Tulbul Navigation Barrage project. Referring to the Wular Lake in North Kashmir, Abdullah noted that the civil works seen in a recent video were part of the Tulbul project initiated in the 1980s but halted due to objections from Pakistan under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

“Now that the Indus Water Treaty has been ‘temporarily suspended’, I wonder if we will be able to resume the project,” Abdullah wrote on X. He emphasised its potential benefits, such as reviving navigation on the Jhelum River and improving power generation during winters. “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,” adds Abdullah.

Mehbooba says Abdullah’s proposal to resume Tubul project is “provocative”

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti hit back, terming Abdullah’s remarks “deeply unfortunate” and “provocative,” especially when India and Pakistan have only recently stepped back from the brink of conflict.

“In a time marked by loss and suffering in J&K, such statements only inflame tensions,” Mufti said. She warned against weaponising essential resources like water and stressed the need for peace over provocation. She also cautioned against internationalising a bilateral issue.

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Omar: Mufti trying to “please some people sitting across the border” 

Omar Abdullah fired back, accusing Mufti of playing politics to appease “some people sitting across the border.” 

He labelled the Indus Water Treaty as a “historic betrayal” of J&K’s interests and said he had consistently opposed it.

“Opposing a blatantly unfair treaty is not warmongering,” Abdullah asserted. “It’s about correcting a historic injustice that denied our people the right to use our water.”

Following this Mufti stated that Abdullah family’s loyalties shift according to political expediency.

“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,” adds Mufti.

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All about Tulbul Project

The Tulbul Navigation Project, aimed at improving navigation on the Jhelum River, was suspended after Pakistan raised objections, claiming it violated the Indus Water Treaty. With the recent suspension of the treaty, its revival could signal a major shift in regional water and power policy.