A recent high-level meeting led by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif found that Gwadar’s ongoing water crisis is mainly due to a shortage of electricity. Acting on the Prime Minister’s instructions, the Coordination Committee on Water held a review meeting on Sunday at the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) office.
The meeting was chaired by Noor-ul-Haq Baloch, Chairman of the Gwadar Port Authority. Officials from GDA, the local government, QESCO (the electricity provider), Public Health Engineering, and other departments attended. A senior official from the Ministry of Planning also joined the meeting online from Islamabad.
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Officials explained that water supply systems like pumping stations and desalination plants are not getting enough electricity to operate properly. This is causing a serious water shortage in the city. To fix the issue, the Prime Minister has asked the Ministry of Energy to take quick and effective action.
As a short-term solution, QESCO has been asked to provide a steady supply of at least 6 megawatts of electricity to key water facilities. These include the Sawad Dam feeder, the Gwadar Port desalination plant, and the airport pumping station. This should help improve water supply across the city.
Locally, the committee decided to start supplying water from Mullaband using a new pipeline built by the GDA. New household connections are also being installed. The water will come from the Gwadar Port desalination plant. To keep track of usage and reduce waste, water meters will be installed along the main pipeline between Sawad Dam and the airport.
The committee was also told that recent power problems damaged the main water pipeline. Repairs are in progress, and the water supply should be restored by the evening.
Later, the committee met with local councillors from Mullaband and nearby areas to talk about the new water connections. The aim is to speed up the project with support from the local community.
