In a major step to end Gwadar’s prolonged water shortage, officials and community leaders have approved plans to build a direct pipeline from Mirani Dam and expand desalination facilities, while boosting tanker deliveries as an immediate relief measure. The decision was made during a high-level meeting at the RCD Council Hall, chaired by MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman, Gwadar Pro reported.

Senior officials, including Gwadar Port Authority Chairman and Water Coordinator Noor-ul-Haq Baloch, Gwadar Development Authority Director General Moin-ur-Rehman Khan and Additional Deputy Commissioner Dr. Abdul Shakoor Khan, attended the meeting along with representatives from political parties and civic groups. A statement from the Deputy Commissioner’s Office said participants unanimously backed a two-phase plan that aims to stabilize short-term supplies and secure long-term access.

The first phase focuses on increasing water deliveries from Mirani Dam through tankers. The second involves building a dedicated pipeline to link Gwadar directly to the dam. Gwadar is facing an acute water crisis as the region enters its second year without meaningful rainfall. Local reservoirs, including Ankara and Sawad Dams, have nearly dried up. The Shadi Kaur Dam pipeline, reactivated last month, has yet to reach full capacity and is supplying only limited water to the city.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti ordered the Gwadar Port Authority to supervise immediate water deliveries from Mirani Dam and ensure transparency in tanker operations. The Gwadar Development Authority later invited bids from private tanker operators and formalized an emergency supply system to stabilize distribution. Hidayatur Rehman told the meeting that a feasibility study for the Mirani–Gwadar pipeline is already underway.

He said he had tabled a resolution in the provincial assembly to expedite the project. Officials said tanker operations will continue under provincial oversight until the permanent pipeline and desalination upgrades are completed. Participants described the pipeline project and expansion of desalination facilities as critical to ending Gwadar’s recurring water shortages and ensuring a reliable supply for its growing population.

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