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Helmand farmers concerned about lack of water
A number of farmers around Kajaki Dam in Helmand province say their agricultural land and gardens are drying up due to the lack of water.
The farmers have called on the government to manage the Helmand River water so that water reaches their fields.
“We are facing a water shortage. We are in dire need of water and we use a water pump. While the water is not enough for us, how can we give water to Iran?” asked Abdul Jabbar, a farmer in Helmand.
“We can give water to Iran only if our water increases or if our dam stores enough water to meet our needs,” Shah Wali, another farmer in Helmand, said.
This comes after Iran’s warnings last month about the lack of water from the Helmand River feeding into Iran. They accused the Islamic Emirate of blocking the water flow and of violating a 1973 water treaty.
The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly said it is committed to the treaty but that there is not enough water to supply Iran.
“According to the 1973 treaty, we have given the Islamic Republic of Iran its share of water from the Helmand River, and we are committed to the treaty in the future. The regular meetings of the commissaries of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran are held as usual. These issues will be discussed in a friendly atmosphere and the normal and abnormal water year will be determined,” Matiullah Abid, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy and Water, said.
The complaints of farmers in Helmand province about the lack of water suggest that climate change has had a negative impact on Afghanistan, therefore experts say that it is the responsibility of governments to address people’s concerns by formulating long-term plans.
Pakistan says communities living along the Afghanistan-Pakistan Durand Line want peace and stability, despite ongoing security concerns in the region.
Speaking during a weekly media briefing, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said there are no major issues between the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan, adding that residents on both sides of the Durand Line want peaceful relations and greater regional stability.
However, Andrabi claimed that terrorism originating from Afghan territory continues to undermine peace efforts.
He said Islamabad believes militant activity crossing from Afghanistan remains a significant obstacle to improving regional security and bilateral ties.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly rejected such allegations, maintaining that no militant group is allowed to use Afghan soil to threaten neighboring countries.
Andrabi also said Pakistan remains diplomatically engaged on regional matters involving Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Somalia, stressing that dialogue and diplomacy remain Islamabad’s preferred means of resolving disputes.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
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