Dam on Kabul RiverThe Pakistani officials are worried amid reports that the Afghan government is planning to build water dams on Kabul River.
The country’s Ministry of Water and Power has said Pakistan is willing to sign a water treaty with Afghanistan.
“We have held many brainstorming sessions at the ministry on this particular issue after receiving credible reports about Afghanistan’s plans to build dams on Kabul River,” a ministry official quoted by local newspaper, The News, said.
The official further added that “Some of Pakistan’s ambassadors appointed in various capitals have taken up this issue with the officials of the ministry and sometimes the Foreign Office also agitated this issue.”
According to the paper, the ministry had asked many agencies to initiate the process for formulating a water information share mechanism with Afghanistan.
Being the low riparian, Pakistan has the right to have the data of water flows in Kabul River in the vicinity of Afghanistan, the ministry said.
Earlier the paper reported that the Afghan authorities with the help of Indian experts had completed feasibilities and detailed engineering of 12 hydro power projects on Kabul River to generate 1,177MW electricity.
If the 12 projects get completed, they will store 4.7 million acre feet water squeezing flows into the river that are destined to reach Pakistan, the paper reported in its edition of June 4, 2013.
Citing the official documents, the paper reported that the World Bank will fund the 12 projects that will cost $7.079 billion.
Source: Khaama Press
