Key Points:
- Pakistan claims India targeted and damaged the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project near Muzaffarabad during Operation Sindoor.
- Indian officials, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, categorically deny attacking any dam or civilian infrastructure, stating only terrorist camps were hit.
- Videos and reports of damage to the dam are unverified and have been dismissed by India as misinformation.
- Operation Sindoor focused on precision strikes against terror infrastructure, not Pakistani military or civilian sites.
- The Neelum-Jhelum project has faced operational issues and shutdowns since 2024, unrelated to the current military actions.
New Delhi: Amid heightened tensions following Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has accused India of targeting and damaging the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (NJHP) near Muzaffarabad, a key power facility supplying nearly 1,000 MW to Pakistan’s grid. Reports and videos circulated in Pakistani media claim that Indian strikes hit the intake structure and hydraulic systems of the dam, sparking fears of a power crisis in several Pakistani cities.
India’s Response: “Blatant Lie,” Only Terror Camps Targeted
Indian officials have firmly denied these allegations. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called Pakistan’s claims a “blatant lie,” emphasizing that Indian forces targeted only terrorist infrastructure during Operation Sindoor. The Ministry of Defence reiterated that no Pakistani civilian or military installations, including dams or power plants, were attacked.
“India has only struck terrorist infrastructure. Allegations of targeting the Neelum-Jhelum dam are completely false,” Misri said.
Pakistan’s Allegations and Misinformation
Pakistani military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry alleged that India had struck the dam’s intake gates and hydraulic protection unit, and that an ambulance at the site was also damaged. However, no independent or international verification of these claims has emerged. Indian authorities have dismissed the reports as part of a broader misinformation campaign following the precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Operation Sindoor: Precision Strikes, No Civilian Targets
Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, involved targeted missile strikes on nine terrorist hideouts, including camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muzaffarabad, Bahawalpur, and Muridke. Residents in Muzaffarabad reported hearing 10–15 missile impacts, with damage confirmed at terror-linked sites such as the Shawai Nallah Camp, but not at any hydropower facility.
Neelum-Jhelum Project’s Pre-Existing Issues
It’s important to note that the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project had already been shut down in 2024 due to technical issues in its headrace tunnel, as confirmed by Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority. The plant, built with Chinese assistance, has faced repeated operational setbacks and financial losses, unrelated to the current military operations.
Despite Pakistan’s claims, India has categorically denied any attack on the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project or other civilian infrastructure during Operation Sindoor. All available evidence and official statements confirm that Indian strikes were limited to terrorist camps, with no damage to dams or power plants. The reports of a dam attack appear to be part of a misinformation campaign amid ongoing cross-border tensions.
