‘Reckless’: Mehbooba Mufti doubles down on Indus Waters Treaty revocation amid war of words with Omar
Mehbooba Mufti clashed with CM Omar Abdullah over the Tulbul navigation project and the benefits of Indus Waters Treaty
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti doubled down on her stance over the Indus Waters Treaty and said her party never supported scrapping it as it would increase regional tensions with Pakistan.
Mehbooba Mufti's statement comes after a duel with Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah over the Tulbul Navigation Project and the now-suspended treaty, which the NC leader once described as the “most unfair document” to the people of J&K.
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She was responding to Omar Abdullah who took an indirect dig at Mehbooba Mufti by posting media reports with caption, “Just leaving this out there because “consistency” is in such short supply.”
The former chief minister also raised questions at those hailing the suspension of the treaty. “But let me be clear - We never advocated scrapping the treaty. Such a move could heighten tensions and once again place J&K at the epicenter of conflict. Our resources like water must be used for life, not as weapons,” Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X.
“You invoking IWT now is a reckless ploy to derail the ceasefire. There’s nothing patriotic about fueling instability,” she added.
Mufti slams NC over dam projects
After criticising Omar Abdullah's proposal revive the Tulbul Navigation Project, Mehbooba Mufti slammed the ruling party for its past stance on dam construction projects in J&K.
“PDP has consistently called for the return of power projects that NC handed over to NHPC on a platter at a pittance. Even in the PDP-BJP Agenda of Alliance, it was agreed that two projects would be returned to Jammu & Kashmir to compensate for losses from the Indus Waters Treaty,” Mufti wrote by citing media reports.
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Earlier on Friday, Mufti described Abdullah's proposal to revive the Tulbul Navigation Project as a “deeply unfortunate” one being put forth at a time when India and Pakistan stepped back from the brink of a “full-fledged war.”
“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,” the PDP leader wrote on X.
