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Hundreds of angry residents in Karachi's Qayyumabad neighbourhood staged a major protest against a prolonged water shortage that has persisted for nearly four months, highlighting what locals described as the authorities' continued failure to provide a basic public service, as reported by The Express Tribune.
According to The Express Tribune, demonstrators blocked Qayyumabad Chowrangi, one of the city's busiest intersections, causing severe traffic disruptions and leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours in extreme heat. Protesters erected barricades and placed stones across the road, bringing traffic movement to a complete standstill. Residents accused the Karachi Water Corporation of neglecting the area and failing to ensure a regular water supply. Many families have been forced to purchase expensive tanker water amid rising living costs, placing an additional financial burden on already struggling households. Protesters also complained that whatever water occasionally reaches homes through pipelines is often contaminated and unfit for consumption. The blockade triggered massive traffic congestion across adjoining roads, particularly on routes connecting Korangi Creek and Qayyumabad. Public transport services were severely affected, forcing many passengers, including elderly citizens, to walk long distances after buses became stuck in the gridlock. Large crowds waiting at bus stops were also left stranded. Community leaders addressing the gathering revealed that Water Corporation officials had once again assured residents that the water supply would be restored from the following day. However, protesters rejected these assurances, arguing that similar promises had repeatedly been made without any meaningful improvement. Residents demanded the presence of senior officials in the area and called for a permanent resolution rather than temporary measures, as cited by The Express Tribune. "The time for promises is over. We need practical action," one community representative told the crowd, warning that demonstrations would continue if the crisis remained unresolved. Residents also appealed to Karachi's mayor and other senior authorities to intervene immediately, stressing that children, women and elderly citizens have borne the brunt of the ongoing shortage, as reported by The Express Tribune. (ANI)
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