Archive · 28 Aug 2026
Pakistan’s Water Crisis Deepens Amid Political and Institutional Failures
Pakistan does not have as much water available for each person as it did decades ago.
Many people depend on water under the ground for drinking and farming.
A report says climate change and population growth are not the only causes of the problem.
It also blames government decisions, weak institutions and the selling of a public resource.
Companies can take groundwater cheaply and sell purified water in bottles.
In Quetta, some families have had no tap water for six months.
People, including women, children and elderly residents, have had to walk long distances to collect water.
The debate is about whether water should remain available to everyone or become mainly a commercial product.
Pakistan’s per capita water availability has fallen from over 5,000 cubic meters in the early 1950s to below 900 currently.
A report attributes the crisis not only to climate change, population growth and shrinking glaciers, but also to political choices and institutional failures.
Groundwater supplies about 70% of domestic water, 90% of rural household needs and more than half of agricultural irrigation.
The packaged-water industry expanded as governments failed to provide reliable safe drinking water, while companies extracted groundwater at minimal cost.
Quetta residents in several neighborhoods reported months without tap water, despite paying bills and repeatedly complaining to officials.
- Who
- People across Pakistan, including residents of Quetta, are affected; government institutions and water-bottling companies are identified as key actors.
- What
- Pakistan is facing worsening water scarcity linked to declining availability, groundwater extraction, unreliable public supplies and institutional failures.
- When
- Per-capita availability has declined since the early 1950s; Quetta’s reported shortages were occurring earlier in July, with some households lacking tap water for six months.
- Where
- Pakistan, particularly Quetta and neighborhoods including Sariab, Sirki Road, Samungli Road, Jinnah Town, Qambarani Road, Satellite Town, Sabzal Road and Khayaban-e-Agha.
- Why
- The report cites political choices, institutional failure, inadequate safe-water provision and groundwater commercialization, alongside climate change, population growth and shrinking glaciers.
Political and Institutional Explanation
Environmental and Demographic Explanation
Main causes of the crisis
Political and Institutional Explanation
The report emphasizes political choices, institutional failure, inadequate public water services and the gradual privatization of groundwater.
Environmental and Demographic Explanation
Water scarcity is often attributed to climate change, population growth and shrinking glaciers.
Public resource or commercial product
Political and Institutional Explanation
Water should remain a shared public resource, and governments should provide safe and accessible supplies.
Environmental and Demographic Explanation
The packaged-water industry expanded because public authorities did not provide dependable safe drinking water, allowing companies to sell purified water commercially.
- Current per-capita availability
- Less than 900 cubic meters
- Per-capita availability in early 1950s
- More than 5,000 cubic meters
- Domestic water from groundwater
- Around 70% nationally
- Rural household water from groundwater
- Around 90%
- Agricultural irrigation from groundwater
- More than half
- Quetta supply situation
- Official Water and Sanitation Agency supplies were stopped or severely restricted in many areas
- Reported household impact
- Many Quetta homes had received no tap water for six months