A City Thirsts – Hyderabad's Residents Cry for Water

Hyderabad, the second-largest city of Sindh, is now teetering on the edge of a water disaster. In neighborhoods like Heerabad, Shahi Bazaar, Khai Road, Afandi Town, Unit No. 12, and Kohsar, taps have run dry, leaving families desperate and disillusioned. Days pass—three, sometimes four—without a drop. Those who can afford it buy overpriced water from private tankers. Others are left to draw from contaminated boreholes. Health is no longer just a concern—it’s a daily gamble. The water that does reach some households is often dirty and foul-smelling. In Qasimabad’s Sherissh Nagar and Shahi Bazaar, residents report water filled with debris, rendering it unusable. “After waiting four days, all we got was mud,” laments Ashiq, a local father of four. In Kohsar and Khuda Hafiz Chowk, the situation is grimmer. The once-reliable WASA pumping station has stopped serving the public, and the local filtration plant has dried out. Now, even hope is in short supply. Whispers of corruption have turned into vocal accusations. Allegedly, some WASA officials are profiting from this crisis—installing illegal connections at night, all while citing unpaid salaries. These unlawful links are draining what little is left of the official supply. But residents are no longer staying silent. On Friday, people from Kohsar, Unit 12, and beyond will gather at Khuda Hafiz Chowk—not just to protest, but to reclaim their right to water, to dignity, to life.