Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif over his warning to India on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying the agreement had deprived Jammu and Kashmir of its rightful use of river waters for decades. Abdullah said the treaty had "sucked our blood" and maintained that people in Jammu and Kashmir had suffered because of the restrictions it imposed on the use of water resources. His remarks came after Sharif warned India against actions affecting Pakistan's share of Indus waters, describing water as a "red line" for Islamabad and saying any attempt to deprive the country of its rights would invite a "direct response".
Responding to Sharif's remarks, Abdullah said he had repeatedly maintained that the treaty was unfair to Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that the agreement prevented the region from fully exploiting its rivers and water resources for its own development.
The Chief Minister said he would be happy if the treaty, currently held in abeyance by India, was scrapped altogether.
Abdullah's position on the IWT has differed from that of several other Opposition leaders who have criticised the Centre's decision to suspend the agreement. He has maintained that Jammu and Kashmir paid a heavy price under the water-sharing arrangement.
The Chief Minister has previously called for greater use of the region's water resources, including for power generation and irrigation.
Sharif, speaking during Pakistan's Independence Day celebrations, reiterated Islamabad's opposition to India's decision to keep the treaty in abeyance.
He said Pakistan would defend its water rights and described every drop of water due to the country as important, warning that the issue constituted a "red line".
Pakistan has consistently opposed India's move and maintained that the treaty cannot be suspended or terminated unilaterally.
New Delhi placed the IWT in abeyance in April 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. India has maintained that the treaty will remain suspended until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border terrorism.
Signed in 1960 after negotiations facilitated by the World Bank, the Indus Waters Treaty established a framework for sharing the waters of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan.
Broadly, the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated to India, while Pakistan received rights over most of the waters of the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, subject to certain Indian uses.
The agreement survived wars and prolonged periods of hostility between the two countries, but came under unprecedented strain after India's decision last year.
The latest exchange between Abdullah and Sharif has again brought the treaty into focus, particularly its impact on Jammu and Kashmir, where political leaders have long raised concerns over restrictions on exploiting the region's water and hydropower potential.