A power breakdown at Dhabeji pumping station — Karachi’s key water supply hub — has caused a significant disruption in the city’s water distribution, compounding an already dire shortage.
According to the Karachi Water Corporation, the failure occurred at 12:20 AM, impacting Line No. 5 at two points. Repair work is underway and is expected to be completed within 36 hours. In the meantime, Karachi will face a shortfall of 100 million gallons of water.
This disruption comes at a time when the city is already grappling with chronic water scarcity. In many neighborhoods, clean drinking water is either unavailable or fails to meet health standards, while some areas are entirely disconnected from water pipelines.
Frustrated citizens are increasingly dependent on private water tankers, which have evolved from donkey carts to rickshaw-based deliveries, often carrying unfiltered, unsafe water. In critically affected localities, families are forced to spend thousands of rupees each month just to secure basic water needs. The situation is worsened by the influence of the tanker mafia, which residents claim operates with the connivance of certain authorities.
As the crisis deepens, residents of Pakistan’s largest city are calling for urgent reforms and sustainable water supply solutions.
