Pakistan's Gwadar region faces water crisis after locals declare shutdown

The port city of Pakistan, Gwadar, faced a severe drinking water shortage as citizens announced a complete shutdown to draw attention to the current situation, The Nation reported on Sunday.

The water crisis has highlighted the city's incapability to face such essential shortages.

The Nation reported, that for an entire week, Gwadar residents have grappled with a water crisis, and their cries for help seemed to fall on deaf ears. The shutter-down strike, called for by the Citizen Committee Gwadar, led to the closure of businesses, shops, and banks. This drastic measure was the last resort for a community left parched and unheard.


The publication reported that the situation engulfed the city despite of appropriate water resources available in the region. The Gwadar water crisis originated after a dispute between the DG Gwadar Development Authority and Public Health Engineering officials, further underscoring the need for effective governance and dispute resolution mechanisms.

The fact that this crisis occurred concurrently with a sit-in in Turbat over a power supply suspension issue in border areas amplifies the gravity of the situation. Successful negotiations in Turbat, leading to a power load-shedding schedule and a predefined monthly bill, may provide a template for addressing such crises more effectively.