#kunarriver

In a major development for South Asian water politics, Taliban-led Afghanistan has announced plans to build dams on the Kunar River to curtail water flowing into Pakistan. The order came directly from Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, instructing Afghanistan’s Ministry of Water and Energy to begin rapid construction with domestic firms. This move mirrors India’s recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, tightening water controls after terrorist attacks sourced to Pakistan.The Kunar River flows from Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush into Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ultimately joining the Kabul and Indus Rivers—key sources for Pakistani irrigation, drinking water, and hydropower. Afghan officials have framed the dam project as both economic development and a strategic counter to recent border clashes and airstrikes between the two countries.Pakistan now faces dual threats to its water security, with experts warning of severe impacts on Punjab and Balochistan’s agriculture and overall regional stability. Kabul’s decision signals a new era of hydro-diplomacy in South Asia, with water now firmly part of Afghanistan’s geopolitical toolkit.