Afghanistan, Oct 25: Afghanistan’s Taliban government has announced plans to build dams across the Kunar River “as soon as possible,” a move seen as an attempt to restrict Pakistan’s water access amid escalating cross-border tensions.
Acting Water Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor said on X that the directive came from Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, adding that Afghans have the right to manage their own water. He emphasized that the construction would be carried out by domestic firms, not foreign contractors.
The decision mirrors India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which killed 26 people. India’s move had already strained Pakistan’s water resources, and Kabul’s latest step could intensify Islamabad’s crisis.
The Kunar River, originating in Pakistan’s Chitral district in the Hindu Kush mountains, flows into Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before merging with the Kabul River. The combined waters then re-enter Pakistan near Attock in Punjab, serving as a vital source of irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric power—particularly for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the region most affected by cross-border violence.
By constructing dams upstream, Afghanistan could significantly reduce water flow into Pakistan, worsening shortages already deepened by India’s decision to curb Indus water supplies.
The move also comes amid a surge in border clashes between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan’s military this month, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—a banned militant group behind several deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
Analysts say the Taliban’s decision signals a shift toward strategic water nationalism, turning control over shared rivers into a geopolitical weapon against Pakistan.