Residents struggle against water shortages, tanker mafia profiteering amid administrative neglect
Six out of nine water filtration plants are in disrepair in Karachi city, where only 150 cylinders of chlorine are available every month. PHOTO: PIXABAY
KARACHI:
The city is facing a severe water shortage as repair work on a major 84-inch water main has cut off supply to large parts of the city. Residents of areas including Korangi, Landhi, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Johar, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, PIB Colony, Saddar, Old City, DHA and Gulbahar have gone four days without water, depending on expensive tankers to meet basic needs.
According to the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), a leak was detected in the 84-inch main near Block 19 in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, prompting emergency repair work that began on Monday. The repair caused a reduction of 200 million gallons per day from the Dhabeji pumping station, severely affecting water distribution across the city.
While KWSC claims repairs were completed ahead of schedule – 48 hours earlier than the 96-hour timeline – and water supply would gradually resume from Wednesday evening to Thursday, residents remain skeptical. Frequent pipeline bursts, leaks and breakdowns have become routine, leaving citizens struggling to access even basic drinking water.
The crisis has hit workplaces and public spaces hard. Workers in the important business center of Sohrab Center reported two days without water, while mosques in the affected areas have insufficient water even for ablution.
The repair work has also disrupted water supply from fire hydrants at Landhi and Sherpao, while areas around Safoora and Nipa Chaurangi are facing severe shortages. The KWSC spokesman said all available resources were being deployed to expedite repairs and apologized for the inconvenience, describing the work as “technical and critical.”
Despite official assurances, Karachi residents continue to bear the brunt of a failing water infrastructure, often forced to spend large sums of money on water tankers just to survive daily routines. The ongoing crisis emphasizes the urgent need for long-term planning and modernized water management in the city.
PST warns of protests
Pakistan Sunni Tehreek (PST) Chairman Engineer Muhammad Sarwat Ejaz Qadri said depriving the citizens of a basic necessity like water reflects the height of mismanagement and administrative failure. He noted that in many parts of the city, residents are desperately waiting for water, while relevant departments remain limited to demands and notifications.
He pointed to frequent pipeline bursts, widespread leaks, delayed repairs and what he described as unfair distribution as clear evidence that responsible institutions have failed to fulfill their constitutional and legal obligations. “Precious water is pouring into the streets while citizens are forced to buy it at exorbitant prices from the tanker mafia,” he said, calling it nothing short of open exploitation.
According to Qadri, the ongoing shortage has paralyzed domestic life and is severely affecting hospitals, educational institutions and business activities. Children, women and the elderly face enormous difficulties, he added, lamenting that public issues do not seem to be a priority for the authorities. He described the situation as an obvious violation of citizens’ basic human rights. Qadri warned that if the people of Karachi do not get clean, adequate and affordable water without delay, the PST reserves the right to stage organized and peaceful protests along with the public.
