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

Industries in the Hub region of Balochistan are grappling with a severe 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 former president Ismail Suttar have launched an SOS appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, demanding immediate action to prevent an industrial, agricultural, and humanitarian crisis.

The leaders argue that industries, farmers, and residents are being unfairly deprived of their fair share of water.

The Chamber warns that if water supplies to Hub's industries and growing population are not adjusted to actual demand, numerous industrial units may have to halt operations within weeks, leading to job losses and significant economic repercussions for the nation. Hub serves as the industrial backbone of Balochistan, contributing over Rs7 billion annually in taxes to the national treasury.

The leaders note that a prolonged water shortage would not only diminish government revenue but also negatively impact exports, investments, and industrial growth.

The HCCI maintains that Hub currently receives only 36.7% of the water allocated, while Karachi receives 62.3%, even though Hub's population, cultivated land, and industrial base have drastically increased over the past four decades. They point out that when the water-sharing formula was established in the 1980s, Hub's population was just 20,000 with five industrial units and around 1,000 acres of cultivated land.

Today, the population exceeds one million, industrial units have risen to approximately 300, and over 25,000 acres are under cultivation. However, they assert that the outdated water allocation formula has not been revised to reflect these changed circumstances.

The HCCI claims that industries have been receiving considerably less water than needed over the past two months, causing many factories to operate below capacity while others have reduced production. If the crisis continues unabated, the leaders warn of widespread factory closures and a sharp increase in unemployment.