Mehbooba Mufti Slams Omar Abdullah Over ‘Irresponsible’ Call to Revive Tulbul Navigation Project Amid Indo-Pak Tensions

Srinagar, May 16 — The ongoing political spat between former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah has intensified, with Mufti calling Abdullah’s recent remarks on reviving the Tulbul Navigation Project “deeply unfortunate” and “dangerously provocative” amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

The war of words erupted after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took to social media platform X, advocating the resumption of work on the Tulbul Navigation Barrage on Wular Lake in North Kashmir. Posting a video of the abandoned civil structure, Omar pointed to the temporary suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), suggesting this might be an opportunity to restart the long-stalled project.

Mehbooba Hits Back with Strong Words

In a sharp retort, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti accused Omar of attempting to “weaponise water” for political mileage.

“At a time when both nations have barely stepped back from the brink of a full-scale war, and when Jammu and Kashmir continues to reel from violence, destruction, and loss of innocent lives, such statements are not only irresponsible but also dangerously provocative,” Mufti said.

She accused Abdullah of downplaying the humanitarian cost and using the project to score “cheap publicity points” while risking internationalising an issue that should remain a bilateral concern.

“Water is a life-giving resource. Weaponising it, especially in a region that has seen decades of conflict and bloodshed, is inhumane and short-sighted,” she added.

Omar Stands His Ground

Omar Abdullah, however, defended his remarks, stating that the Tulbul Navigation Project was envisioned decades ago, well before militancy gripped the region in the 1990s. He claimed the project’s revival could boost local navigation through Jhelum and enhance downstream hydroelectric power generation, especially during winters.

“With the Indus Waters Treaty now under suspension following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, we must reconsider long-pending projects like Tulbul. This is about leveraging our own water resources for local development,” Omar wrote on X.

He further clarified that the Tulbul structure is not a storage dam, but a navigation facility aimed at maintaining water levels in Wular Lake for smooth transport and power management—an assertion India has long maintained in the face of Pakistani objections.

The Background: Tulbul Project and IWT Tensions

The Tulbul Navigation Project, situated at the mouth of Wular Lake, was initiated in the early 1980s. However, construction was halted after Pakistan raised concerns, claiming it violated the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which governs the use of waters from the Indus River and its tributaries.

India, on the other hand, has consistently argued that the project complies with the treaty’s provisions as it involves no storage or diversion of water, and is purely meant to support navigation and power generation.

In the aftermath of the 2012 Wular conservation initiative—which mirrored Tulbul’s blueprint—militant threats once again stalled the work. Despite multiple rounds of Indo-Pak dialogue, no conclusive resolution has been reached on the issue.

A Debate Reflecting Larger Geo-Political Tensions

The fresh clash between Mufti and Abdullah underscores the deep political divisions in Kashmir on how to handle infrastructure development in the backdrop of the fragile Indo-Pak relations. With the IWT temporarily on hold and the region witnessing renewed cross-border hostilities, the debate over Tulbul has morphed into a symbolic tug-of-war between political ideology, national interests, and humanitarian priorities.

As both leaders continue to trade barbs, the future of the Tulbul Navigation Barrage—and its broader implications for water diplomacy between India and Pakistan—remains uncertain.