A recent report, “Water Crisis in Pakistan” was published by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE). Pakistan ranks 14 out of 17 “extremely high water risk” countries in the world that are facing acute water shortages. While water shortages are a major and critical problem across the country, the residents of Karachi suffer more and a bit differently.

Karachi is considered one of the most highly populated, advanced and economic hubs of Pakistan. For decades till today, the city is crammed with water mafias who are selling it illegally to several other areas, such as Nazimabad, Malir, Horangi town, Defence and many other renowned areas. From fifteen rupees to twenty-two thousand rupees per tanker seems disastrous.

What is surprising is that the city hardly receives only four to five hundred million gallons of water per day while the actual demand is 1200 million gallons. Every new government comes and makes promises of fulfilling the fundamental demand of life yet fails to stick to its words in actual time.

NOREEN ANWAR,

Kech.