Karachi residents are grappling with a deepening water crisis as the commercial capital of Pakistan entered its second consecutive month without reliable water supply, with taps running dry and long queues of tankers becoming a fixture across the city. The crisis, reported on Wednesday, 27 May, has been compounded by the onset of Eidul Azha festivities, when demand for water surges for ritual washings, animal care, and sanitation.

A Crisis That Has Become Tradition

This is not the first time Karachi has faced a water emergency during a major religious occasion. Residents have described it as a grim, recurring pattern — the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) consistently failing to maintain supply during Eid, Ramzan, and Muharram, according to reports in Pakistani daily Dawn. The crisis this year has been building since March, triggered by line bursts, underground leaks, power breakdowns at pumping stations, and damage to key water mains.

Residents Left Waiting Days for Tankers

With piped supply disrupted for weeks in many localities — and for more than two months in some — residents have been forced to buy water from private tankers. However, demand has far outstripped supply: most households report waiting seven to ten days for a delivery, and prices for tankers have reportedly doubled.

Ejaz Ahmed, an employee at a wedding hall in Khokhrapar, described the ordeal. 'It's been 11 weeks without water in our lane,' he said. 'We beg tankers every day. They take PKR 8,000 and say 'wait your turn'. What are we supposed to do?' Another resident said his family had not received a tanker despite registering 10 days earlier. Neighbourhoods including Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Clifton, DHA, and North Nazimabad have all reported the price surge, according to Dawn.

Political Fallout in Sindh Assembly

The crisis has spilled into the political arena. On Monday, lawmakers from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) staged a protest inside the Sindh Assembly, gathering in front of the podium and chanting 'give water to Karachi,' demanding immediate restoration of supply ahead of Eidul Azha.

Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi said Karachi 'was thirsty for every drop of water' while authorities watched like 'silent, senseless spectators.' Khurshidi added that he had personally tried to procure a tanker for two days without success, according to Dawn.

Government Response and Blame Game

KWSC Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Ali claimed the utility was ensuring normal supply during Eid and attributed disruptions to K-Electric (KE) and frequent power outages at pumping stations. In response to the MQM-P protest, Sindh's Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar pointed to the ongoing K-IV project — a long-delayed bulk water supply scheme — as the eventual solution, and suggested that MQM-P, as part of the federal government, should press the Centre to accelerate its completion.

What Comes Next

With Eidul Azha intensifying water demand and no immediate resolution in sight, civic groups and opposition legislators are pressing for emergency measures. The K-IV project, if completed, is intended to significantly augment Karachi's water supply — but its timeline remains uncertain. Until then, millions of residents face the prospect of another Eid defined not by celebration, but by the search for water.