Pakistan’s Water Crisis Deepens: PoGB’s Water 100% Unfit For Consumption

Pakistan is one of the most water-polluted countries in South Asia. Drinking water is contaminated with toxic metals and microbes, often exceeding the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended parameters.

PoGB Faces Severe Water Contamination

A troubling report from Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) reveals that all water samples from the region are contaminated, rendering the water unsafe for consumption, as reported by The Express Tribune.

Other Affected Regions

The issue extends beyond PoGB, affecting two cities in Sindh, including Shaheed Benazirabad, where water samples are also deemed unsafe for human use.

Nationwide Contamination Statistics

The Pakistan Ministry of Water Resources has disclosed alarming statistics on water contamination across the country. In Karachi, 93 percent of drinking water is contaminated, while 92 percent of water in Badin and 94 percent in Bahawalpur are also unsafe.

The situation is similarly dire in other cities:

• Sargodha: 83% contamination
• Faisalabad: 59% contamination
• Sheikhupura: 60% contamination
• Hyderabad: 80% contamination
• Sukkur: 67% contamination
• Muzaffarabad: 70% contamination
• Abbottabad: 55% contamination
• Khuzdar: 55% contamination
• Loralai: 59% contamination
• Quetta: 59% contamination

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Karachi’s Water Quality Crisis

The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) routinely monitors water quality and provides results to the provinces. A previous report by The Express Tribune in November 2023 highlighted severe contamination in Karachi’s tap water.

Analysis by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) found that 90 percent of the 137 samples tested lacked chlorine, contributing to 11 deaths from the brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, last year.

The KWSC lab report also noted contamination with E. coli and Vibrio cholera in water from Faqir Muhammad Goth in Malir district, rendering it unsuitable for drinking or cooking. These pathogens are typically associated with sewage contamination and waste from humans and animals.

Public Health Concerns in PoGB

In Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, the poor quality of water is a major public health concern, leading to frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery, and parasitic infections. The region’s inadequate sanitation infrastructure worsens these issues, highlighting the urgent need for improved water management and infrastructure.

(WITH INPUTS FROM ANI)

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