Authorities have launched an emergency two-phase plan to tackle Gwadar’s worsening water shortage, prioritising both immediate relief and long-term solutions. Tankers have started delivering water from Mirani Dam to Gwadar and nearby areas, supplementing supplies from the Shadi Kaur Dam and the city’s desalination plant.
The initiative was approved during a high-level meeting chaired by MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, also Jamaat-i-Islami Balochistan’s emir. Senior officials, including Gwadar Port Authority Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch, Gwadar Development Authority DG Moin-ur-Rehman Khan, and Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr Abdul Shakoor Khan, attended the session.
Phase one focuses on increasing tanker deliveries across the city. Officials assured residents that additional tankers will be deployed and that payments to tanker operators will be processed every 15 days. Public water storage will be reserved for domestic use, while commercial and government entities are expected to arrange separate water sources. Local councils and PHE teams will supervise fair distribution at the neighbourhood level, with emergency deliveries extended to Jiwani and the surrounding areas.
Phase two will involve constructing a dedicated pipeline from Mirani Dam to Gwadar, alongside the expansion of desalination facilities. A feasibility study for the project is already underway, and provincial assembly approval has been sought to fast-track implementation. Authorities emphasised that tanker operations will continue under provincial oversight until the permanent infrastructure is completed, aiming to secure a reliable water supply for Gwadar’s growing population.
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