Quetta Faces Severe Basic Services Crisis: Water, Power, and Sanitation Shortages Leave Citizens Struggling

Quetta: The capital of Balochistan, Quetta, has been plunged into a deep crisis as residents continue to suffer from an acute shortage of clean drinking water, electricity, gas, and an inadequate sanitation system. As of **October 22, 2025**, citizens across the city are voicing grave concerns over the government’s failure to ensure basic civic amenities.

**Water Crisis Reaches Alarming Levels:**
The water shortage in Quetta has reached a critical stage, a fact officially acknowledged by the Quetta Division Commissioner in **September 2025**. Due to the dangerously low underground water levels, the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) has failed to meet public demand. According to reports, most central and suburban areas of the city are without water, leaving residents desperate. In the Airport Villas area, the WASA tube well has been out of order for over a year, forcing locals to purchase water from private tanker mafias at exorbitant rates. Although the administration ordered action against illegal connections and unregulated private suppliers in **August 2025**, the situation remains unchanged.

**Electricity and Gas Load Shedding Adds to Misery:**
Quetta residents are also enduring frequent and prolonged power and gas outages. While **QESCO** had issued a schedule for maintenance-related power cuts in **August 2025**, unannounced load shedding continues unabated. Meanwhile, **Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC)** has restricted gas supply from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. since **April 2025**, exacerbating the hardship for households.

**Poor Sanitation and Health Conditions:**
The sanitation system in Quetta remains severely neglected. Despite the establishment of a complaint cell on **October 17, 2025**, under the Chief Minister’s directives to improve cleanliness, piles of garbage and clogged drains persist in several areas. Public health services are also in disarray; government hospitals lack essential facilities and modern medical equipment, forcing patients to seek treatment in cities like Karachi.

**Education Sector Also Neglected:**
Quetta’s educational infrastructure is equally affected. A **March 2025** report revealed that many schools lack access to clean water and proper sanitation facilities, severely impacting the quality of education.

Citizens have urged the **Balochistan government** to move beyond verbal assurances and take immediate, practical steps to resolve the city’s mounting crises. They emphasize that without urgent intervention, living conditions in the provincial capital will continue to deteriorate.