After India’s Indus Treaty Suspension, Taliban-Led Afghanistan Plans To Limit River Flow To Pakistan

Taliban-ruled Afghanistan has announced plans to restrict water flow to Pakistan through dam construction on the Kunar River, weeks after deadly border clashes between the two countries.

Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued instructions to build a dam on the River Kunar "as fast as possible", with the Afghan Ministry of Water and Energy confirming that construction would begin promptly and contracts would be signed with domestic companies.

The water initiative follows months after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April that killed 26 civilians.

Taliban's assertion about the "right to water" came just weeks after Afghanistan and Pakistan fought a war that left hundreds dead.

The 480-kilometre Kunar River originates in Afghanistan's Hindu Kush mountains and flows through Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before entering Pakistan, where it joins the Kabul River and ultimately the Indus.

The dam construction is expected to impact Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, affecting irrigation and drinking water supplies.

Unlike the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan, there is no formal treaty governing Afghan-Pakistani river waters, leaving Islamabad with limited immediate options.

Pakistani authorities have raised alarms about Afghanistan's water management policies, citing risks to energy and food supplies.

Since the Taliban takeover in 2021, Afghanistan has prioritised water sovereignty, accelerating dam and hydropower projects to reduce dependence on neighbouring countries.

The announcement came days after Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India.

Afghanistan has deepened cooperation with India on hydropower and dam construction, with both sides underscoring the importance of sustainable water management and agreeing to cooperate on hydroelectric projects.

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