The Government of Pakistan, which came under tremendous public pressure after India withdrew from the Indus Waters Treaty, has suffered another major setback, this time from Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The Taliban government has announced plans to construct a dam on the Kunar River, which flows into Pakistan, potentially restricting the water supply to the country.
According to reports, Taliban Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada has ordered that the dam be built “as fast as possible.” This move comes just days after deadly border clashes between Afghan and Pakistani forces that left hundreds dead.
Afghanistan’s decision appears to be influenced by India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, following the Pahalgam terror attack. Under the treaty, India had agreed to share the waters of three rivers with Pakistan.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Water and Energy, Akhundzada instructed the ministry to immediately begin constructing dams on the Kunar River and to sign contracts with domestic companies.
Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai wrote on X, “After India, it may now be Afghanistan’s turn to restrict Pakistan’s water supply. Taliban Deputy Minister for Information, Mujahid Farahi, announced that the Ministry of Water and Energy has received instructions from the Taliban’s supreme leader, Shaikh Hibatullah Akhundzada, to begin dam construction on the Kunar River without delay.”
He further quoted Minister of Water and Power Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor as saying that “Afghans have the right to manage their own water resources.” The Kabul and Kunar rivers, which flow into Pakistan, have long been vital sources of water for the neighbouring country.
