KARACHI:
Water scarcity has escalated into a critical crisis for the residents of Quetta, where a vast number of households face a total lack of functional connections to public water networks or suffer from highly irregular supply. This infrastructural failure forces families to depend on expensive private water tankers, placing a severe and unsustainable burden on already strained household budgets. Access to a basic human right should never depend on a family’s ability to purchase costly, unregulated tanker deliveries.
The ground reality highlights a stark neglect of urban infrastructure across the city. For instance, residents of Jamiat Rai Street near Spinny Road have been forced to live for decades without any public water connections. Similarly, in the Nawa Kili Teachers Colony, pipeline infrastructure was reportedly laid down but left defunct, leaving the community without a reliable water supply. These cases reflect a deeper systemic issue: an urgent need for better water management, transparent planning and rigorous infrastructure maintenance.
To resolve Quetta’s persistent water hardships, the provincial government and relevant water authorities must move beyond empty promises and implement practical, sustainable solutions. Immediate action is required to repair existing pipelines, extend network connections to underserved neighborhoods and ensure fair distribution across the city. Ultimately, regular monitoring, responsible resource management and a commitment to equitable public access are the only ways to guarantee that Quetta’s citizens receive the reliable water supply they deserve.
Maheen Fazal Karim
Jusak Turbat
