QUETTA: Provincial Minister for Public Health Engineering (PHE), Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran, chaired a high-level review meeting on Monday to address the acute and persistent water crisis in Gwadar. The meeting, held at the office of Secretary PHE Hashim Ghilzai, focused on urgent measures and long-term solutions for the port city’s most pressing civic challenge.
Minister Khetran was given a comprehensive briefing by senior department officials, including Chief Engineer North Azam Zarkoon and DT Secretary PHE Tanveer Jamot. The presentation covered the critical water shortages, the status of ongoing restoration work on supply lines across various districts of Gwadar, and the operational performance of key mitigation systems. Officials detailed the current efficiency of water tanker services and desalination plants, alongside providing updates on several development schemes that are currently under implementation.
Expressing deep concern over the situation, Sardar Abdul Rehman Khetran underscored that providing clean drinking water to the citizens of Gwadar is the government’s foremost priority. “All projects related to water supply must be completed within their stipulated timelines without any delay,” he stated firmly. He issued strict directives to the concerned authorities, demanding the immediate removal of any bottlenecks hindering water distribution. To ensure accountability and momentum, he ordered field teams to submit daily progress reports on their restoration and supply activities.
The minister framed the issue within Gwadar’s larger strategic significance. “Gwadar is the economic gateway of Balochistan,” he remarked. “Therefore, no negligence will be tolerated in providing basic facilities to its citizens.” The meeting also evaluated new proposals aimed at bolstering the water supply infrastructure. These included plans for deploying additional water tankers, ensuring a continuous electricity supply to power water plants and pumping stations, and devising strategies to meet the needs of the city’s growing population.
Concluding the session, Provincial Minister Khetran instructed all officers to enhance inter-departmental communication and collaborate on formulating effective, people-centric strategies. The directive emphasizes a coordinated approach to bring tangible relief to Gwadar’s residents and support the city’s crucial role in the region’s economic future.
