After India, Afghanistan to build dams restricting water to Pakistan
What's the story
The Taliban-ruled Afghanistan is planning to build dams on the Kunar River and restrict water flow to Pakistan. The order was given by Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada. This announcement comes after recent conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which left hundreds dead. The Afghan Ministry of Water and Energy has been directed to start dam construction "as soon as possible."
Water control
Kunar River's significance
The 480-kilometer-long Kunar River, known as Chitral in Pakistan, originates in the Hindu Kush of northeastern Afghanistan, near the Broghil Pass on the Pakistan border. It runs south through Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before entering Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it joins the Kabul River near Jalalabad. It joins the Indus near Attock and is critical to Pakistan's agricultural and other water demands, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A reduction in the water flow would affect Indus, thereby affecting Punjab as well.
Crisis fears
No formal water-sharing agreement
Afghanistan and Pakistan do not have a formal bilateral water-sharing agreement. Islamabad had earlier expressed concerns that Afghanistan's unilateral actions could lead to a regional water crisis, especially amid Pakistan's worsening energy and food security challenges. The decision also comes after recent talks between Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi and India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
Hydropower collaboration
India-Afghanistan cooperation on hydroelectric projects
During their recent talks, both countries stressed sustainable water management and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects. In the past, India had helped Afghanistan with key infrastructure projects like the Salma Dam in Herat province, which generates 42 MW of power and irrigates 75,000 hectares. The Shahtoot Dam project was also formalized under a 2021 MoU with India's commitment to provide clean water and irrigation facilities for Kabul residents.