After India, now Afghanistan plans to build dams to cut water flow to Pakistan, claims Baloch activist

Synopsis

Amidst regional tensions, Afghanistan is reportedly planning new dams, potentially restricting water flow into Pakistan, following India's dam projects. A Taliban official, General Mubin, advocated for these dams in the Kunar region to bolster Afghanistan's electricity and agriculture.

Afghanistan is reportedly preparing to build new dams to restrict the flow of its river waters into Pakistan, according to a claim made by a Baloch activist on social media. The move follows India’s long-standing dam projects on rivers flowing towards Pakistan.

A statement posted by Baloch writer Mir Yab Baloch on social media platform X said, “This is the beginning of the end of NaPakistan. After Bharat, now Afghanistan is preparing building dams to cut the flow of its water to NaPakistan.”

The claim, though not officially confirmed by either Afghanistan or Pakistan, has started drawing attention amid growing tensions in the region over water resources.

Taliban general visits Kunar, backs dam plans, claims Mir Yab

According to the post, a senior Taliban army official, General Mubin, visited the Kunar region in eastern Afghanistan where he inspected a potential dam site. He reportedly called on the Kabul government to fund and construct multiple dams to retain the water flowing into Pakistan.

General Mubin was quoted as saying, “This water is our blood and we can't allow our blood to flow out of veins, we have to stop our water which can help to overcome our electricity needs and we can make our agriculture more robust.”

Kunar River, a tributary of the Kabul River, flows from Afghanistan into Pakistan and is considered a key water source for downstream agricultural regions.

Water disputes in the region

Water-sharing has long been a sensitive issue in South Asia. India and Pakistan have a formal water treaty — the Indus Waters Treaty — in place since 1960, but there is no such agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Any move by Afghanistan to regulate water flow unilaterally could raise concerns in Pakistan, especially in light of recent statements from regional political voices and activists. Pakistan has not yet responded officially to the claim.

This development comes as both India and Afghanistan appear to be reworking their approaches to water diplomacy with Pakistan. While India has built several dams on western rivers under the Indus Treaty framework, Afghanistan controls the headwaters of several eastern tributaries flowing into Pakistan.

No official word from Kabul or Islamabad

So far, there has been no confirmation from the Taliban government or the Pakistani authorities regarding the reported dam inspection or any new construction plans.

The claim, however, adds to the ongoing debate about transboundary water rights and the emerging role of regional geopolitics in controlling natural resources.

India’s shift on Indus Waters Treaty

India has taken a more assertive position on the Indus Waters Treaty in recent years, especially after repeated cross-border tensions and terror attacks linked to Pakistan-based groups. While India has not formally suspended the treaty, India has put the treaty in abeyance. India has started using more of its share of the water that was earlier allowed to flow into Pakistan unutilised. Projects like the Kishanganga and Ratle hydroelectric plants are now central to this strategy. These projects allow India to store and divert water for electricity generation and irrigation before it enters Pakistan.

The Indian government has consistently maintained that all its projects are in compliance with the treaty, but the cumulative effect has been a reduction in the volume of water reaching Pakistani territory during certain periods.

This change in water flow pattern has raised concerns in Pakistan, where agriculture remains heavily dependent on the Indus river system. Analysts have pointed out that any further reduction could add stress to Pakistan’s water management systems.