Pakistan and Afghanistan should mutually sort out water issues between the two countries in line with the international laws with the proposal of signing Afghan-Pakistan water treaty. Talking about sustainable usage of river Kabul, Khan Faraz, an expert and former Secretary Pakistan Tobacco Board told Business Recorder that Kabul River with its four offshoots in Pakistan is very important for the irrigation in Peshawar valley and adjoining areas.
However, the deteriorating national, regional and global climatic conditions and the population explosion in Pakistan are seriously impacting Kabul River. Moreover, there are other issues relating to Kabul River which includes water diversion, shortages and wastages, water management, storage and pollution, irrigation problems, environmental damage, floods, droughts, crop failures, socio-economic complications, mass human migrations and the migrating seasonal birds.
In view of the above narrative, Kabul River is negatively impacting Pak-Afghan relationship. Therefore, the best alternative is to reach a negotiated agreement over Kabul River. An Afghan-Pakistan water treaty is not a bad idea, Khan Faraz proposed.
It is pertinent to note that a conference was arranged by the Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar on October 10, 2018, on "Sustainable Usage of River Kabul: Prospects and Challenges for Pak-Afghan Cooperation." The Afghan Consul General at Peshawar, while attending the conference, urged the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to sit and discuss water issues between the two countries to resolve them in line with the international laws. He added that the water disputes are there in all parts of the world.
In South Asia too, water is a big issue. Afghanistan, however, has managed to resolve water disputes with its neighbours. The Director, Area Study Centre, University of Peshawar also explained the importance of the issues and challenges related to the mismanagement of River Kabul and emphasised the need for having a bilateral water treaty between Pakistan and Afghanistan for reasonable and equitable use of waters of River Kabul.
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