Afghanistan Mirrors India’s Indus Water Strategy, Plans Dams to Halt Kunar River Flow Into Pakistan

October 24, 2025 MTIMES 3 min read Afghanistan, India, Indus Waters Treaty, Kunar River, Pakistan, Qosh Tepa canal, Taliban, Water conflict

Afghanistan has decided to follow India’s example by moving to limit Pakistan’s access to cross-border water resources. The Taliban government, led by Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, has ordered the immediate construction of dams across the Afghanistan Kunar River dam 2025 project. Acting Water Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor announced the decision on X, asserting that Afghans have the right to manage their own water. He also emphasized that the projects will be executed by domestic firms to reinforce national self-reliance.

The move comes amid heightened tensions along the Durand Line, the disputed 2,600-km border between the two countries. Islamabad has recently accused Kabul of sheltering the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group responsible for several terror attacks.

Echo of India’s Indus Water Action

The Taliban’s step is reminiscent of India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. That landmark move ended a 65-year-old water-sharing agreement and was seen as a strong message of strategic restraint. Similarly, Kabul’s announcement to dam the Kunar River signals a shift in regional geopolitics, where water resources are becoming tools of national leverage.

Unlike the Indus Treaty between India and Pakistan, no formal agreement exists to govern water sharing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. This absence of a legal framework leaves Islamabad with limited diplomatic or legal options to contest Kabul’s plan.

The Kunar River: Lifeline Under Threat

The Kunar River originates in Pakistan’s Chitral district in the Hindu Kush mountains and flows south into Afghanistan, passing through Kunar and Nangarhar provinces before merging with the Kabul River. The combined waters re-enter Pakistan near Attock in Punjab, forming a crucial source for irrigation, drinking water, and hydroelectric power in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

If Afghanistan succeeds in constructing dams before the river crosses into Pakistan, it could severely reduce the water supply for agriculture and power generation in already water-stressed areas. Analysts warn that such a move could escalate tensions and potentially trigger a new round of cross-border disputes.

Expanding Water Control Policy in Afghanistan

Since taking control in August 2021, the Taliban has prioritized consolidating power over the nation’s waterways to enhance food security and self-sufficiency. One of the most ambitious projects, the 285 km Qosh Tepa canal, aims to irrigate over 550,000 hectares of farmland by diverting up to 21 per cent of the Amu Darya River. This has alarmed neighboring Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

Last week, Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited India and expressed appreciation for New Delhi’s support in building dams, including one in Herat province. A joint statement released after the visit emphasized cooperation on sustainable water management and hydroelectric projects, reinforcing Kabul’s intent to pursue independent water policies.

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