Water Under Siege

Summary. In October last year, the Afghan Taliban leadership decided unilaterally to construct dams on the Kunar and Kabul rivers, raising serious concerns in Pakistan.  This announcement came just weeks after India's unilateral and illegal suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, raising alarm bells in Islamabad. These moves signal a deeply troubling phase in Pakistan's water security, as the country's economy depends on the agriculture sector, whose very survival depends on water. Pakistan has long sought a water-sharing framework with Kabul; none has materialized. Kabul's announcement to “begin construction as soon as possible” asserts sovereign right but intensifies Pakistan's water insecurity. To counter this growing challenge, Pakistan should adopt a strategy that emphasises regional hydro cooperation by securing predictable downstream flows, limiting India's geopolitical encroachment, strengthening its international standing as a responsible riparian, and transforming the Kabul River from a security liability into a platform for regional stability and shared prosperity.