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Sign in to searchAFGHANISTAN TO BUILD DAM OVER KUNAR RIVER**
In October 2025, Afghanistan announced the construction of a major hydroelectric and irrigation dam on the Kunar River, signalling a strategically significant shift in regional water politics. The Taliban-led government, under Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, ordered the Ministry of Water and Energy to expedite the project and prioritise Afghan firms. The move comes amid intensifying tensions with Pakistan, particularly after severe border clashes in early October triggered by Pakistani airstrikes on TTP positions and retaliatory Taliban assaults on border posts. Despite a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkey, the underlying hostility remains unresolved, amplified by Afghanistan’s longstanding non-recognition of the Durand Line (1893) and claims of frequent Pakistani incursions since 2021.
Geographically, the Kunar River originates from Himalayan-fed glaciers in Pakistan’s Chitral district, flows into Afghanistan’s Kunar province, merges with the Kabul River near Jalalabad, and re-enters Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa before joining the Indus at Attock. It is essential for agriculture, fisheries, domestic consumption, and hydropower. Pakistan currently receives 70–80% of its flow and relies on it for irrigation and dozens of mini-hydropower projects.
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Afghanistan's Kunar River dam project shifts regional water politics amid border tensions with Pakistan. A 45 MW hydroelectric dam raises geopolitical concerns over transboundary water sharing and treaty absence.
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