Daily Times

Timing is everything. So when Kabul decided to send a new message to the international community about control over its water destiny, it had its eyes on the eastern front. Fresh tensions have emerged between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the wake of an announcement by the Taliban government to build a hydroelectric project. Zabihullah Mujahid recently hit headlines, “We have to manage our water, whether it is in Kunar, Faryab, Farah, or Helmand, this is the right of the Afghan people, they should make good use of their right.”

Ensuring farmers in a drought-ravaged country are provided with the fresh impetus to build upon the agricultural backbone is a noble project. No qualms about that. Standing at the wheel of a country that remains internationally unrecognised, the interim government in Kabul does not appear limited to its original plans for the poppy industry. Between attempts to make the most of its coal supplies, charging traders exorbitant prices for transit facilities and now the provision of irrigation facilities, Kabul’s dire circumstances might force it to actually take up the game of governance. However, the establishment of the dam on the Kunar River – though not one of the more awe-creating projects – amounts to a hostile act in the eyes of Islamabad. Meanwhile, Afghan analysts believe that this outrage does not hold any ground value because the proposed dam is relatively small and will therefore not threaten any water flows to Pakistan. Some have gone to the extent of calling this project a preservation of the “interests of Pakistan.”

Kabul would have been better off not adding a good pour of kerosene on the fire raging across the Durand Line.

Notwithstanding the technicalities of the actual impact, Kabul would have been better off not adding a good pour of kerosene on the fire raging across the Durand Line. There is no existing concrete mechanism of cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad on river water sharing. But by making use of New Delhi’s assistance and a series of menacing statements, the interim government has already set a tone for its relationship with Islamabad on such a crucial matter. By harnessing its water resources in contravention of the generally-acceptable notions of water-sharing, Kabul can very easily make life uncomfortable for its water-stressed neighbours. Just this year, an exchange of gunfire had ensued on the Afghanistan-Iran border over a dispute arising on the Helmand River. Since Iran heavily depends on the turquoise water flowing from the Hindukush, it does not wish to let the matter go without a fight. Tehran claims that it is only receiving four per cent of the amount agreed upon in a treaty signed in 1973 and therefore, wishes to see Afghanistan abide by the rules. Any desire to promote water redistribution for its own population so that the Taliban government finds sovereignty should not come at the expense of its relations with the regional countries. We have seen the Taliban government using water resources as a diplomatic tool to strengthen its engagement with Tehran. If there appears any headway for a similar cordial relationship with Pakistan, the two countries could chart out a better way forward that deals with their own water scarcity and the overall water table of the region. As is the case with sheltering militant organisations and their sympathisers, prolonging an unnecessary conflict would not benefit any parties. Big or small, the impact of even a single water drop has assumed life-changing proportions in the post-climate change world.

The writer is OpEd Editor (Daily Times) and can be reached at durenayab786@gmail.com. She tweets @DureAkram