IN a region where rivers carve the landscape and also trace the fault lines of politics, the Kabul River basin stands out as a microcosm of looming water insecurity. For Pakistan and Afghanistan, the river system presents an unusual hydrological and diplomatic twist, which in the absence of a comprehensive treaty, means increasing the risks of conflict, over a resource that is both a lifeline and geopolitical.
The Kabul River system has emerged as a potential flashpoint in Pak-Afghan relations, with growing concerns that Afghanistan’s accelerated dam construction — supported by foreign actors, particularly India — could alter river flows critical for Pakistan’s irrigation, hydropower, and food security.
Pakistan’s complex position as both an upper and lower riparian on different tributaries of the basin presents both risks and opportunities. The Chitral River originates in Pakistan and flows into Afghanistan as the Kunar River, before re-entering Pakistan to join the Kabul River and eventually the Indus.
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