Pakistan's water crisis deepens as Rawalpindi residents struggle amid official inaction

Rawalpindi: Large parts of Rawalpindi city and the cantonment are grappling with an acute water shortage during the peak summer season, with residents accusing civic authorities of failing to address the worsening crisis, as reported by Dawn.

According to Dawn, several neighbourhoods in the cantonment, including Misrial Road, Afshan Colony, Dhoke Chaudhrian, People's Colony, Adra, Tench Bhatta, and Dhoke Syedan, are experiencing severe shortages. In the city, localities stretching from Koral Chowk to Ammar Chowk along the old Airport Road have also been affected after the Capital Development Authority (CDA) reportedly halted water supply from tubewells located within its jurisdiction. Residents say the disruption has made daily life increasingly difficult.

Farhan Malik, who lives on Misrial Road, alleged that the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) had failed to ensure a consistent water supply despite adequate water availability in Khanpur Dam. He said the seasonal shortage had become a recurring problem, leaving families dependent on costly private water tankers. Mohsin Ali from Afshan Colony criticised the cantonment authorities, saying residents continue to pay utility charges despite receiving water only on alternate days and for short durations. He questioned why private tanker operators could access water while the authorities had failed to expand infrastructure or install additional tubewells to meet rising demand.


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Residents living along Airport Road voiced similar concerns. Fateh Mohammad said private tanker operators were charging inflated prices while the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) was unable to provide a regular supply. Another resident, Mohammad Nasir, criticised the government's spending priorities, arguing that while billions had been invested in major road and underpass projects, necessities such as water remained inaccessible to many households, as highlighted by Dawn.

Officials from the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board acknowledged a widening gap between demand and supply, citing rapid urban expansion, limited water allocation from Khanpur Dam, insufficient tubewells and a lack of funding for new infrastructure, as reported by Dawn.

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