Pakistan Stands Firm Against India-Afghan Water Alliance

Islamabad: Pakistan has reaffirmed its determination to protect its water sovereignty amid growing India-Afghan cooperation aimed at undermining Pakistan’s water security.

After its humiliating failure in the “battle of truth,” India is now reportedly using water as a political weapon through the Taliban regime. According to media reports, India has offered $1 billion in financial assistance to the Afghan government to construct a series of dams that could disrupt water flow into Pakistan.

Following the Afghan foreign minister’s visit to New Delhi, India’s intent to use “water as a tool of pressure” has become increasingly clear. A report by India Today on October 24, 2025, revealed that the Taliban regime plans to build dams on the Kunar River with Indian technical and financial support—posing a serious threat to Pakistan’s water supply.

Projects like Naghlu, Darunta, Shahtoot, Shah Waros, Gambiri, and Baghdara are among those being developed with Indian assistance. Experts warn that these dams could drastically affect water availability in Pakistan’s key agricultural areas, including Peshawar, Charsadda, and Nowshera, which rely on water from the Kabul River Basin.

Pakistan receives an average of 16.5 million acre-feet (MAF) of water annually from the Kabul River. India’s attempt to influence Afghanistan’s control over these waters follows its earlier move to unilaterally suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, violating international water agreements.

Legal and hydrological experts confirm that Pakistan is working on a comprehensive water defense strategy to counter this India-Afghan plan. A key part of this strategy is the Chitral River Diversion Project, which aims to redirect the Chitral River into the Swat Basin before it enters Afghanistan.

This project will not only neutralize India’s water aggression but also produce 2,453 megawatts of clean renewable energy, bring new land under cultivation, reduce flood risks, and enhance water storage in the Warsak and Mohmand Dams.

Pakistan considers this plan fully within its sovereign rights and in complete accordance with international law. The Pakistani nation stands united against any attempt by India to use Afghan territory for hostile actions against Pakistan’s water resources.

“Water is Pakistan’s lifeline,” officials said. “No country will be allowed to threaten our security, agriculture, or economy through water manipulation.”