Reopening Settled Issues May Spark Tensions: Mehbooba Mufti

The recent claims by Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, about the Indus Water Treaty limiting the region’s hydropower potential have sparked a harsh response from People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti.

Omar Abdullah, speaking at Aaj Tak’s ‘Panchayat’ event, argued that the treaty between India and Pakistan restricts Jammu and Kashmir from fully utilizing its vast hydropower resources due to storage constraints. However, Mufti strongly disagreed with this approach, warning that reopening such sensitive issues could escalate tensions and serve only the BJP’s political interests.

Mehbooba Mufti reminded the public that Jammu and Kashmir had already suffered immeasurably over the last 75 years. “Many people were killed and properties destroyed,” she said, noting that despite numerous conflicts and wars, the Indus Water Treaty remained intact, offering a rare example of stability between the two nations.

She dismissed Abdullah’s statement about the limitations of the treaty, stating that instead of focusing on external factors, the focus should be on internal mismanagement. “Omar says we cannot generate more electricity, but is the electricity we’re producing even ours?” she asked, pointing to the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) projects that were handed over to the Centre by Abdullah’s family.

The PDP leader emphasized that it was the Abdullahs, under Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah, who had handed over crucial power projects to NHPC in the past. These projects, Mufti argued, continue to benefit the Centre while leaving Jammu and Kashmir in the dark. The region generates electricity but has to buy it back at a premium. “IIOJK is the only region generating power but remains without adequate supply,” she said.

Mufti also criticized Omar for not pressing the Centre to return some of these key power projects. “When we were in power, the BJP agreed to return at least two projects,” she pointed out, demanding that the government act on this promise or compensate the region financially.

Furthermore, Mufti argued that raising the issue of the Indus Water Treaty at this point would only escalate tensions between India and Pakistan, which would ultimately harm IIOJK. “Reopening settled issues will not affect the BJP; it will only hurt the people of IIOJK,” she warned. “Our hands are already painted with blood,” she added, highlighting the human cost of ongoing disputes.

Mufti’s response to Abdullah’s claims paints a stark contrast to his narrative, urging a more pragmatic approach to IIOJK’s issues. The region’s power problems, she suggests, are deeply rooted in internal mismanagement, and raising contentious issues like the Indus Water Treaty only plays into the BJP’s divisive agenda.