A worsening water crisis in Hub, one of Balochistan’s key industrial centers, has raised concerns over the possible closure of around 300 industrial units and the loss of thousands of jobs.
The shortage is also threatening water supplies for nearly 1 million people, more than 25,000 acres of agricultural land and over Rs7 billion in annual government revenue, according to representatives of the Hub Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Former Hub Chamber president Ismail Sattar and current president Yaqoob Karim have appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to intervene immediately and ensure adequate water supplies for the city’s population, agriculture and industries.
According to Ismail Sattar, Hub Dam is nearly full, yet residents, farmers and industrial units in Hub are not receiving their required share of water. He said the shortage has already affected industrial production, with several factories operating below capacity.
Industrial representatives said that industries have not been receiving water according to their requirements for the past two months. Some businesses have been forced to reduce production, while prolonged shortages could lead to further closures and widespread job losses.
The existing water distribution formula has also come under criticism. Sattar said Hub currently receives around 36.7 percent of the available water, while Karachi receives 62.3 percent. He argued that the formula was established decades ago when Hub had a much smaller population, fewer industries and limited agricultural activity.
In the 1980s, Hub’s population was reportedly around 20,000, with only five industrial units and approximately 1,000 acres under cultivation. Today, its population has grown to more than one million, the number of industrial units has reached around 300 and agricultural land has expanded to more than 25,000 acres.
Industrial representatives warn that continued water shortages could have wider economic consequences. Hub is a major industrial center of Balochistan and reportedly contributes more than Rs7 billion in annual tax revenue. Prolonged industrial closures could therefore affect employment, government revenues, exports, investment and industrial growth.
Sattar has urged the prime minister to order the immediate provision of additional water to Hub and called for a review of the decades-old distribution formula.
He warned that failure to address the issue could turn the water shortage into a broader crisis involving industrial closures, unemployment, agricultural losses and a serious shortage of drinking water.
