Hub industries face acute water crisis as leaders allege systematic deprivation of water share

Industries across Hub are facing a critical water crisis despite the Hub Dam being nearly full, according to leaders of the Hub Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI). HCCI President Yakoob H. Karim and Ismail Suttar, former president, have urgently appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for immediate action to prevent what they described as a potential industrial, agricultural, and humanitarian catastrophe.

They warned that if water isn't supplied to Hub's industries and growing population in accordance with actual demand, numerous industrial units could be forced to halt operations within weeks, endangering thousands of jobs and causing substantial damage to the national economy.

Hub is the backbone of Balochistan's industrial sector. The cessation of water supply to industries would result in production halts, loss of workers' livelihoods, and significant economic losses for the country. Hub contributes over Rs7 billion annually in taxes to the national treasury. Prolonged water shortages would not only diminish government revenue but also adversely impact exports, investments, and industrial growth.

The HCCI leaders allege that industries, farmers, and residents are systematically being deprived of their rightful share of water. Although Hub Dam is full, the current allocation provides only 36.7 percent of the water to Hub, while Karachi receives 62.3 percent. Despite Hub being the industrial hub of Balochistan, it has received an inadequate share of water over the past four decades.

The leaders pointed out that Hub's population, cultivated land, and industrial base have exponentially grown, yet Wapda continues to implement a formula from the 1980s that does not reflect current conditions.