A resident of Gwadar has begun a hunger strike outside the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) office to protest the city’s worsening water crisis, which has left parts of the coastal district without supply for more than a month.
Local residents said that the Shambay Ismail Ward of Gwadar has been without water for the past 36 days despite repeated complaints to the authorities. They said several meetings were held with officials, but no progress had been made.
Frustrated by the lack of action, Basheer Qasim, a resident of the area, announced a hunger strike until death and set up a protest camp in front of the GDA office, demanding the restoration of water supply.
Speaking to reporters, Qasim said the protest would continue until the problem was resolved. “Our children have no water to drink, yet no one listens to us,” he said. “I will continue my hunger strike until water reaches every home in Shambay Ismail Ward.”
Local councillor Yasir and several political and social activists visited the protest site to express solidarity. They said the situation reflected the government’s neglect of Gwadar’s residents, who are “forced to go on hunger strikes for fundamental rights like water.”
Political leaders at the protest said it was “shameful” that while officials across Pakistan and abroad collect funds in the name of Gwadar, the city itself remains deprived of the most basic necessities.
They added that despite being the flagship hub of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Gwadar still lacks reliable access to water, electricity, and healthcare.
The protestors demanded that the authorities immediately restore water supply to affected areas, warning that failure to act would trigger a wider campaign of demonstrations across Gwadar.