Pakistan’s Water Woes Deepen: Afghanistan to Construct Dams on Kunar River

In a move that threatens to escalate regional tensions, Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has directed the immediate construction of dams on the Kunar River, a vital tributary that flows from Afghanistan into Pakistan. The order, confirmed by Afghan Taliban Water Minister Abdul Latif Mansoor, signals a new phase in the complex Pakistan–Afghanistan relationship, adding water security to a growing list of political and military disputes.

Afghanistan’s Strategic Water Assertion

“The Afghans have the right to manage their own water resources,” said Mansoor, underscoring Kabul’s intent to exercise sovereignty over transboundary rivers including the Helmand, Kabul, and Kunar. The 480-kilometre-long Kunar River originates in Pakistan’s Chitral region, passes through Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, and ultimately joins Pakistan’s Indus River system — a key source of irrigation for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Afghan officials view the construction of dams as part of a long-term strategy for “hydro-economic independence” and as leverage against Pakistan’s alleged interference in Afghan internal affairs.

Hydro-Diplomacy as a Countermeasure

Sources in Kabul describe the dam initiative as both a developmental and geopolitical response. Following Pakistan’s airstrikes on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) camps in Kabul earlier this month, Taliban leadership reportedly decided to weaponise water control as a counter-strategy. “Pakistan uses air power to strike our civilians; we see water as our only non-military response,” said an Afghan source. They added that ongoing mass deportations of Afghan refugees and the closure of trade routes like Torkham have further strained ties, motivating Kabul to assert control over shared rivers. Intelligence assessments also suggest that Iran and China are tacitly supporting Afghanistan’s move to weaken Pakistan’s agricultural output in southern Punjab and Balochistan.

India’s Precedent: ‘Blood and Water Cannot Flow Together’

The situation mirrors India’s earlier stance on the Indus Waters Treaty. Following the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor’ retaliation in May 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated that “blood and water cannot flow together,” referencing India’s suspension of cooperation under the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. Analysts note that Afghanistan’s declaration employs similar symbolism — using water as a diplomatic and strategic instrument in response to cross-border aggression.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered immediate dam construction on Afghanistan’s Kunar River.
• The Kunar River originates in Pakistan’s Chitral and flows into the Indus River system.
• Afghanistan’s move follows Pakistan’s airstrikes on TTP camps on October 9, 2025.
• India had earlier suspended the Indus Waters Treaty under the “blood and water cannot flow together” principle.

Escalating Regional Water and Security Tensions

While Qatar and Saudi Arabia mediated a brief ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan on October 19, hostilities resumed shortly after, reflecting the fragile nature of their truce. Kabul’s dam plan, if executed, could further strain Islamabad’s already stressed water resources and agricultural economy. Experts warn that the emerging “water weaponisation” trend across South Asia — with both India and Afghanistan reasserting river sovereignty — may redefine the region’s geopolitical equations, making transboundary water diplomacy a key front in future conflicts.