Acting Minister of Water and Energy Abdul Latif Mansoor met with David Hill, the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Country Director for Afghanistan, to discuss strengthening cooperation on critical water and energy initiatives in the country.
The meeting, attended by Deputy Minister Mujib ur Rahman Omar Akhundzada, ministry advisor Dr. Farooq Azam, and senior officials, focused on reviving stalled ADB-funded projects and addressing Afghanistan’s pressing water and energy challenges.
Minister Mansoor highlighted the worsening water shortages in Kabul and Kandahar, urging ADB’s assistance for major infrastructure projects, including the Kabul-Panjshir water transfer scheme, the Shah Tut-Lalandar reservoir dam, and the expansion of Kandahar’s Dahla Dam. He also emphasized the need for support in energy sector development to bolster Afghanistan’s economic stability. In response, Hill reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to resuming collaboration with the ministry and backing vital water and energy programs.
Among the key projects discussed, the Kabul-Panjshir water transfer aims to alleviate Kabul’s chronic water scarcity by channeling water from the Panjshir River through tunnels and canals. While critical for drinking water and agriculture, the project faces financial, and technical hurdles. Meanwhile, the Shah Tut Dam, funded by India, is designed to store 146 million cubic meters of water to supply Kabul and enhance irrigation but has faced delays due to political instability. In Kandahar, the aging Dahla Dam, a lifeline for local farming, has undergone multiple upgrades, with further expansions planned to secure water for the drought-prone region.
The discussions underscore Afghanistan’s push to advance infrastructure development amid economic and environmental pressures. With ADB’s renewed engagement, the government hopes to accelerate progress on these projects, which are vital for water security, agriculture, and long-term stability.
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Protests broke out in Pakistan and Iraq on Sunday after Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in joint U.S.–Israeli strikes. At least nine people were reported dead in clashes near the U.S. consulate in Karachi.
Afghanistan said it had fired at Pakistani aircraft over Kabul after explosions and gunfire rocked the capital early on Sunday, marking a sharp escalation in fighting between the two neighbours.
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday (27 February) they were ready to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in several Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar, and Islamabad declared the neighbours were now in "open war".
Afghan and Pakistani forces traded airstrikes and artillery fire along the Durand Line on Thursday night, killing dozens on both sides, as Pakistan’s defence minister warned the two countries were now in “open war” after months of escalating clashes.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Governments across the region responded swiftly to Israel’s strikes on Iran, closing airspace, issuing travel advisories and activating contingency plans amid fears of escalation.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A senior Iranian official has warned Israel to “prepare for what is coming”, insisting that Tehran’s response to the latest escalation in the Middle East will be made openly and without limits.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years and the country’s highest political and religious authority, has died aged 86 following joint Israeli and U.S. strikes on his compound in Tehran.
The United States and Israel have carried out large-scale strikes on Iranian leadership and military targets, with Iranian state media confirming that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
Follow the latest developments and global reaction after the U.S. and Israel launched “major combat operations” in Iran, prompting retaliation from Tehran.
Ayatollah Alireza Arafi has moved into a pivotal constitutional role following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, becoming the clerical member of Iran’s temporary leadership council under Article 111 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
A number of senior Iranian figures have reportedly been killed in Saturday’s joint U.S.–Israeli airstrikes on Iran, according to Iranian state media, Israeli military statements and international reporting. Some of the details remain unverified. .
The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has triggered one of the most significant political processes in the Islamic Republic: the selection of a new Supreme Leader.
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