Quetta gripped by severe water crisis

QUETTA:

The capital of Balochistan has been plunged into a severe water crisis, with groundwater levels dropping to dangerously low levels and official supplies from the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) either completely halted or severely restricted in many residential areas.

Residents of neighborhoods including Samungli Road, Jinnah Town, Sariab, Qambarani Road, Sirki Road, Satellite Town, Sabzal Road, and Khayaban-e-Agha are enduring extreme hardship. In the scorching summer heat, elderly people, women, and young children are forced to travel long distances on foot to fetch water.

Many households have received no tap water for the past six months, severely disrupting daily life. Speaking to The Express Tribune, frustrated citizens said they regularly pay their WASA bills, yet receive no water in return. Despite lodging multiple complaints, the issue remains unresolved, with officials offering only verbal assurances.

With official supplies failing, private water tankers have become the only lifeline for residents. However, this has led to rampant exploitation.