Crossing the Durand Line: Petitioner wants River Kabul to be named after Chitral

Contends that the mountainous region is the largest tributary to the river

PESHAWAR: With Kabul located across the Durand Line, a social activist has filed a plea with the high court urging that a river flowing in from across the border should be renamed as River Chitral.

An application in this regard has been submitted to the Human Rights cell of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) by social activist Sher Jehan.

Jehan contended that the mountainous district is the largest tributary to this river — via the Chitral River — and its waters pass through a vast area of the Chitral district before entering Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, he said, it passes through Asmar, Kunar, Asad Abad, Ghazi Abad, and Jalalabad areas before re-entering Pakistan.

“Though Kabul is the capital city of Afghanistan, this river has nothing to do with Kabul city,” Jehan told the court in his application.

“Then why it is known as River Kabul in Pakistan?”

Jehan added that on a daily basis, hundreds of Chitralis enter Peshawar. When they look at the river, they are sure that it flows from their area (Chitral), but it is very disappointing for them to learn that it is not named after Chitral rather it is known as River Kabul over an erroneous belief that it originates from Kabul in Afghanistan.

“This has also added to a sense of deprivation amongst our people,” added Jehan. “This is very disappointing and an injustice to the people of Chitral.”

In his application to the PHC’s chief justice, Jehan said that it is the constitutional right of the people of the area to have first right over its resources.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2018.