RAWALPINDI: Various localities around old Airport have been experiencing severe water shortage for the last two days mainly due to closure of several tubewells on greenbelt along Islamabad Expressway by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Theresidentsof Faisal Colony, Gulzar-i-Quaid, Shah Khalid Colony, Fazal Town and adjoining areas said repeated complaints to Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) had not yield any results.

Muhammad Aktam, a resident of Shah Khalid Colony, said that despite various complaints lodged with Wasa, thewatersupply to the area had not been restored.

He said that the area people had contacted Wasa but the agency officials passed the buck on CDA as it had recently shut down tubewells on the Islamabad Expressway.

He said that our daily chores keep lying incomplete due to non-availability ofwater.

He said that they had to hire privatewatertanker at Rs4,000 to meet thewatershortage. Raja Akhter of Gulzar-i-Quaid said that Wasa has turned a blind eye the the residents woes who are forced to pay for tanker.

He said that the system of water supply in the area was also mismanaged. “Before the shut down of tubewells, the civic agency would release water for 15 minutes or less and advise people to install water sucking machines,” he said.

Mohammad Zaheer, a resident of Faisal Colony, said that instead to install tubewells, Wasa had failed to bring water supply line from Rawal Dam.

He said that the house owners of more than one kanal can afford thewatertankers but theresidentsof small and low income group could not bear the heavy amount ofwater.

Some residents claimed that Chaklala Cantonment Board tubewells were also installed on the green belt but CDA shut down only Rawalpindi’s civic body tubewells.

When contacted, Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan said that CDA had shut down some tubewells installed on the green belt of eastern side of Islamabad Expressway and it created water shortage.

He said that negotiations between Wasa and CDA were under way and Divisional Commissioner Abdul Aamer Khattak also took up the matter with Islamabad Chief Commissioner on the issue.

He said that Wasa was trying hard to provide waterto the people throughwatertankers. He said CDA and Wasa should resolve their issue soon in public interest.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026