HERAT – Afghanistan’s Pashdan Dam in western Herat province was officially inaugurated on Thursday in a ceremony attended by senior Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) officials, including Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
Baradar hailed the $117 million project — funded entirely by the IEA’s budget — as a milestone for Herat’s development and drought prevention. He said it reflected the administration’s capacity to complete major infrastructure projects without foreign aid.
“IEA wants to manage natural resources responsibly, respect others’ rights, and use water management to strengthen the economy, reduce poverty, unemployment, and migration,” Baradar said. He urged domestic and foreign investors to explore opportunities in water, agriculture, and other sectors.
The dam, located 25 km east of Herat city in Karukh district, stands 74 metres high, holds 54 million cubic metres of water, irrigates 13,000 hectares of farmland, and generates two megawatts of electricity.
Herat Governor Sheikh Maulvi Noor Ahmad Islamjar said the project would help make Herat an economic hub, alongside other initiatives such as the TAPI gas pipeline, road upgrades, railway expansion, and new industrial facilities.
Acting Minister of Energy and Water Abdul Latif Mansour said the dam would “bring hope and development to the people of Herat” by improving agriculture and power generation.
Local farmers welcomed the opening. “Water shortages have long hurt production,” said Yar Mohammad, an orchard owner in Injil district. He called for a clear plan to distribute water from both Salma and Pashdan dams to maximise agricultural benefits.
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