'They Can't Handle...': Omar Abdullah Takes Swipe At Pakistan PM Over Kashmir Remark

Last Updated:February 07, 2026, 14:41 IST

Omar Abdullah criticised Shehbaz Sharif's Kashmir remarks, questioned Pakistan's capacity, and discussed water treaties and ongoing projects.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a dig at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif after the latter referred to Kashmir as his country’s “jugular vein." CM Abdullah stated that Pakistan struggles to manage what it already possesses, questioning what it would do if Kashmir were added to it.

Responding on Friday to Sharif’s statement, the National Conference leader said, “We will be part of them? They can’t handle what they already have. What will they do with us?"

Sharif had made the comments on Thursday in the Assembly of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), when the neighbouring country observed what it calls ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’.

While addressing the Assembly, he said he was there to express solidarity with “our brothers in Kashmir on behalf of the Pakistani people and the Pakistani leadership," adding that Mohammad Ali Jinnah had once called Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein." Sharif further claimed, “Kashmir will become a part of Pakistan."

India, however, has consistently maintained that Jammu and Kashmir “was, is, and shall forever remain" an integral part of the country. Home Minister Amit Shah has also reiterated that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir belongs to India and that the nation intends to reclaim it.

On a separate issue regarding the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), Abdullah said that although the treaty is currently in abeyance, Jammu and Kashmir has yet to see tangible benefits. He noted that ongoing projects like Ratle and Pakal Dul would remain unaffected in terms of design, scope, or water storage capacity, meaning power generation would not change.

“The treaty is in abeyance, but we haven’t seen benefits yet. Ongoing projects like Ratle, Pakal Dul, and others won’t see changes in design, scope, or water storage capacity due to this, so there is no impact on power generation," he said.

The chief minister added, however, that future initiatives would have more flexibility. He pointed to the Tulbul Navigation Barrage near Sopore, which could boost water levels in the Jhelum River, help preserve Wular Lake, and enhance the generation capacity of downstream power projects such as Uri 1 and Uri 2.

News india 'They Can't Handle...': Omar Abdullah Takes Swipe At Pakistan PM Over Kashmir Remark

Read More