Gwadar’s worsening water crisis has forced authorities to adopt emergency measures, including tanker supplies from Mirani Dam, as the port city endures its second year without meaningful rainfall. According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Turbat had received its first rain in 379 days on August 21 while Pasni in Gwadar district saw 6 millimeters on August 22 after 354 dry days.

But Gwadar itself, along with Jiwani, Dalbandin, Nokkundi and Panjgur, remains thirsty, heightening pressure on its overstrained dams and pipelines, according to a report carried by Gwadar Pro on Thursday. On September 17, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti chaired a meeting in Gwadar, ordering the transfer of the city’s water distribution network to the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA).

On September 21, GDA reactivated an 83-kilometer pipeline from Shadi Kaur Dam, restoring two million gallons per day (MGD) to the system after more than three years. However, the line has not been able to operate at full capacity due to technical problems. Some officials noted that because the supply system had remained idle for three years, problems were inevitable as it came back online. Moreover, Ankara Dam had already dried up and Sawad Dam was close to depletion.

With shortages persisting, Sarfraz Bugti on Monday convened another high-level session with provincial and district officials, including MPA Hidayatur Rehman, GDA Director General Moin-ur-Rehman Khan and Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch.

“The first priority is to ensure that Shadi Kaur Dam is fully connected and operating at full capacity,” Bugti said, adding that there should be no excuses for delays.

“The second is tanker supply; and there must be no discrepancy in the service.” He ordered immediate tanker deliveries from Mirani Dam and directed that supplies begin the same day under GPA supervision. Mirani Dam is located near Turbat in Kech district, about 125 to 130 kilometers northeast of Gwadar city. It was built mainly to irrigate the Kech valley but has also been used as an emergency water source for Gwadar when local dams dry up.

Sarfraz Bugti ordered ensuring transparency in tanker supplies. “There must be no compromise on transparency in the tanker supplies,” he said, instructing GPA and GDA leadership to maintain full oversight. Later in the day, a follow-up meeting chaired by Baloch reviewed mechanisms to ensure transparency in the tanker operation.

Committees comprising representatives of the district administration, GDA and the Public Health Engineering Department were tasked with monitoring registration, water quality and delivery volumes. Late Tuesday night, the GDA issued a notice inviting bids from tanker owners to transport water from Mirani Dam to Gwadar. The notice directed interested operators to submit proposals by 11 a.m. on Oct. 1, specifying rates either per trip or per gallon of water, as authorities moved to formalize the emergency supply system.

The tanker deliveries are only a stopgap until Shadi Kaur Dam, the GPA desalination plant and the sensor boring system can operate at full capacity. Longer-term planning was also discussed to prevent future crises in Gwadar.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China