Karachi: Pakistan’s financial hub Karachi is facing a severe water shortage, with widespread supply disruptions affecting a large section of its population during the peak summer season. The crisis has once again highlighted the city’s longstanding infrastructure challenges and growing demand for essential resources.
Residents in several areas, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Azizabad, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad and North Karachi, have reported prolonged interruptions in water supply. In many localities, families have been forced to depend on costly private tanker services to meet their daily needs after regular municipal supplies failed to reach homes.
The shortages have persisted for weeks in some areas, creating hardships for households already coping with rising temperatures and increased water consumption.
The crisis has also sparked political criticism. Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman accused the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government of failing to resolve Karachi’s chronic water issues despite governing the province for nearly two decades.
He argued that residents continue to struggle for basic services and questioned why recurring shortages remain unresolved. Rehman also criticised local authorities over sanitation management, claiming public resources have not translated into improved civic services.
Karachi’s water demand has grown sharply alongside its expanding population. The city requires more than 1,080 million gallons of water every day for its nearly 30 million residents, yet available supply falls short by over 400 million gallons daily.
The metropolis depends on sources such as Keenjhar Lake, Haleji Lake, Hub Dam and Dumlottee wells. However, infrastructure expansion has failed to keep pace with population growth.
Experts point to ageing pipelines, poor urban planning, leakages, illegal hydrants and water theft as key reasons behind the worsening situation. The widespread use of suction pumps and unauthorised connections has further disrupted fair distribution.
With temperatures expected to remain high in the coming months, ensuring a reliable water supply has emerged as one of Karachi’s most urgent civic challenges.
