Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday launched an attack on Islamabad for staking a claim over waters originating from the region, asserting
that the neighbouring country cannot be selective in its sympathy for Kashmiris. Accusing Pakistan of "sucking blood" by denying J&K the right to use its river resources, Abdullah maintained that the people have historically borne the brunt of the water-sharing framework. His remarks came in response to the remarks by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). "We have always been saying that our blood has been sucked - these are our rivers. We had the first right on this. Pakistanis say they are great sympathisers of Kashmiris. But when it comes to water, their sympathy disappears. Where was their sympathy when we were denied permission to use our rivers?" Abdullah told reporters.
'Our blood has been sucked': Omar Abdullah
Lashing out at the historical division under the IWT, Abdullah pointed out that out of the six rivers, India retained three belonging to Punjab, while the three rivers of Jammu and Kashmir were handed over to Pakistan, causing long-term detriment to the local population.
"From then until today, we are suffering the consequences of this Indus Waters Treaty. We could neither draw drinking water from the Chenab, nor could we use the Jhelum for navigation by building a barrage on Tulbul, nor could we stop water by building a big dam on any of our rivers," he said.
Noting that the IWT was kept in abeyance following the terror attack in Pahalgam, the chief minister asserted that the treaty should remain revoked to allow Jammu and Kashmir to utilise its natural resources fully.
"Our blood has been sucked, and now that the Indus Waters Treaty has been suspended, it should remain suspended so that we can make proper use of this water," Abdullah asserted.
Sharif had earlier warned that "every drop of water is our red line" and stated that Islamabad would issue a "direct response" if its water supplies were threatened.
