Pakistan's Water Woes Deepen: Taliban's Kunar Dams Threaten Flows After India Suspends IWT
Originating in Pakistan’s Chitral region, the Kunar River flows through Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before re-entering Pakistan to join the Indus River system.
Pakistan faces growing concerns after the Afghan Taliban announced plans to build dams on the Kunar River, diverting its waters, according to a report on CNN-News18.
The 480-kilometre-long river is a critical source of irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric power for Pakistan, and any diversion threatens downstream flows into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Originating in Pakistan’s Chitral region, the Kunar River flows through Afghanistan’s Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before re-entering Pakistan to join the Indus River system.
The timing of the Taliban’s decision adds to Islamabad’s worries, coming soon after India suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan.
Signed on Sept. 19, 1960, the Indus Water Treaty is an agreement between India and Pakistan to regulate the sharing of water from the Indus River System. Brokered by the World Bank, the treaty was the result of nearly nine years of negotiation and diplomatic efforts. It continued to be a vital framework for managing shared water resources.
The move also puts pressure on an already splintering relationship between the two countries. Even as Pakistan has repeatedly flagged concerns over construction of Kunar dams, Afghanistan views them as "unnecessary noise", as per CNN- News18's Taliban sources.
The Taliban further claimed that the dams are being built as a domestic development initiative under the country's sovereign rights on the river and not to harm Pakistan.
CNN-News18 cited sources as saying that the Afghan Taliban regime has approved the plan to divert Kunar water which will channel water through the Gambiri Desert to the Duranti Dam reservoir in Nangarhar province.
However, they added, "the strategic de-watering will threaten irrigation, drinking water, hydropower in Chitral and downstream areas."
Sources also highlighted that even though Afghanistan is building dams to help irrigate dry farmlands and increase crop production in southern areas, its status as the upper riparian country gives it significant leverage over Pakistan.
"As an upper state, we have the sovereign right to utilise its water resources for national reconstruction. The diversion is not intended to harm downstream flows. Pakistan is making unnecessary noise on this", CNN-News18 quoted Taliban sources as saying.
