The Taliban government in Afghanistan has announced plans to build a dam on the River Kunar, which originates from Pakistan’s Chitral district. The Taliban’s Minister for Energy and Water, Abdul Latif Mansoor, said the country’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has ordered immediate construction. He instructed the ministry not to wait for foreign companies but to begin the project with local firms.
Mansoor quoted Akhundzada as saying that the Afghan people have the right to manage their own water resources. The River Kunar is one of Afghanistan’s five major rivers. It flows about 482 kilometers through Kunar province before joining the Kabul River, which later re-enters Pakistan. The river plays a crucial role in irrigation and hydropower for both nations.
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The dam announcement comes amid rising border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Water sharing has long been a sensitive issue since no formal water treaty exists between the two neighbors. Both countries currently manage river flows through traditional and informal arrangements. Experts warn that unilateral construction on shared rivers could worsen political and environmental strains.
Last year, reports about Afghanistan’s plans to build dams in eastern regions raised concerns in Pakistan. Former minister Jan Achakzai warned that unilateral construction on the Kunar River could be viewed as a hostile act. He said such actions might escalate tensions and even risk confrontation between the two sides.
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Speaking to Shamshad TV, Mansoor said the Kunar dam remains one of the Taliban government’s top priorities. He added that Afghanistan has no formal water agreements with neighbors except Iran, with which it shares the Helmand River. However, he confirmed that the Taliban intend to continue building dams elsewhere to ensure water security and energy independence for Afghanistan.