WATER crisis is growing in Pakistan day by day. According to a report released by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Pakistan ranks third among countries facing acute water shortage.

While water shortage is a major problem across the country, the people of Karachi suffer a little more and a bit differently than their counterparts in the rest of the country.

Water scarcity in Karachi is often linked with poor governance and water mafia. Karachi gets only about half of the water that it requires. Of that quantity, one-third is either stolen, allegedly thanks to the notorious hydrant and tanker mafia, or is wasted owing to leaking pipelines that have not been repaired or replaced for years.

Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan, but its water distribution system is dysfunctional due to official negligence. Water is distributed through pipelines only in half of the city.

This shortage has benefitted the water mafia, which runs hundreds of illegal pumping stations.

The mafia has been minting money for years, while the city has remained in a state of crisis for just as many years. Research indicates that this scarcity is a product of poor decisions made over time by provincial and municipal governments, political players and urban planners.

The government should take strict action against these water thieves, and allow the citizens to have their due rights because they pay the relevant taxes all year long.

Hamza Momin
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2022