Afghanistan refuses to give water to Pakistan: Preparations underway to build a dam on the Kunar River

Following India, Afghanistan is now preparing to build a dam to block water flowing into Pakistan. The Afghan Information Ministry shared this information in a post on X on Thursday.

The Information Ministry stated that Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered the construction of a dam on the Kunar River as soon as possible.

Deputy Minister Muhajir Farahi stated on Thursday that the Ministry of Water and Energy has been instructed to contract domestic companies and begin dam construction quickly, without waiting for foreign companies. Afghanistan made this decision following the recent conflict.

37 Afghan civilians were killed and 425 injured in the clashes that lasted from October 9th to October 18th. India also suspended the Indus Water Treaty on April 23rd following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, blocking water flowing into Pakistan.

Pakistan uses 70-80% of the Kunar River's water.

The 480-kilometer-long Kunar River originates in Afghanistan, forms the Chitral River, and joins the Kabul River in Pakistan. Pakistan receives 70-80% of the Kunar River's water.

This Kabul River then joins the Indus River. If Afghanistan blocks the Kunar's water by building dams, Pakistan will suffer serious losses.

This will directly impact Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). Agriculture in areas like Bajaur and Mohammadpur is entirely dependent on this river. Stopping irrigation will increase the risk of crop failure.

In addition, blocking the water supply will impact more than 20 small hydel projects operating on the Kunar River in Pakistan's Chitral district. All of these projects are run-of-river, meaning they generate electricity directly from the river's flow.

45 MW of electricity will be generated, providing water to 1.5 lakh acres of farmland.

Earlier, Matiullah Abid, spokesperson for the Taliban's Ministry of Water and Energy, stated that the survey and design of the dam had been completed.

The Taliban government claims that once completed, the project will generate 45 MW of electricity and provide irrigation water to approximately 1.5 lakh acres of farmland. This will improve Afghanistan's energy crisis and food security.

No Pak-Afghan Agreement on the Kunar River

Pakistan and Afghanistan do not have a formal bilateral agreement on the water sharing of the Kabul River and its tributaries.

Pakistan has previously expressed concern about Afghanistan's dam projects, as they could reduce water supplies to its territory.

The Taliban's decision came after the conflict with Pakistan.

The conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan began on October 9. Pakistan attacked Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) bases in Kabul. Following this, Afghanistan blamed Pakistan for the border dispute and airspace violations.

According to the UN, 37 Afghan civilians were killed and 425 injured in Pakistani attacks. The Taliban government in Afghanistan accused Pakistan of targeting civilian areas, while Pakistan maintains that it struck terrorist hideouts.

In fact, the root of the dispute between the two countries is the Durand Line, which was drawn between India and Afghanistan during the British era. It divides the traditional lands of the two countries, and the Pashtuns on both sides have never accepted it.

India has cancelled the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan

The Indus Water Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960. India cancelled this treaty after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22.

The Indus River system consists of six rivers: the Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej. The area along their banks extends over approximately 1.12 million square kilometers. Of this, 47% is in Pakistan, 39% in India, 8% in China, and 6% in Afghanistan. Approximately 300 million people from all these countries live in these areas.

Even before the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, a dispute over the sharing of river waters between India's Punjab province and Pakistan's Sindh province had begun. On September 19, 1960, a treaty was signed in Karachi between Indian Prime Minister Nehru and Pakistani President Ayub Khan. This treaty is known as the Indus Water Treaty.

Afghan Foreign Minister Visits India

Afghanistan's decision follows the visit of Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to India. Muttaqi visited India on October 9, during which he met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Both sides expressed their commitment to hydroelectricity cooperation.

India has two major projects underway in Afghanistan. These include the Salma Dam and the Shahtoot Dam. The Salma Dam was built in Herat in 2016 at a cost of $300 million.

The Shahtoot Dam, on a tributary of the Kabul River, will be built at a cost of approximately ₹2,000 crore, with India bearing the entire cost. It will provide drinking water to 2 million people and enable cultivation of 4,000 hectares. It is expected to be completed by 2026.