A recent study conducted by Karachi University on the water supply in the city’s Liaquatabad region presents an alarming report that every resident of Karachi, especially its elected officials, must take seriously. The report clearly states that the water supply is unfit for human consumption. A closer look at the details reveals just how dangerous the situation is.
Researchers found that 95.6% of the water samples were unsafe for drinking due to metal contamination. E. coli was present in 74% of the samples, while over 70% contained faecal matter. Additionally, 78.27% of the samples showed dangerously high levels of arsenic. Prolonged exposure to arsenic-contaminated water and metals can lead to diabetes, heart disease, lung cancer, and other serious ailments. These contaminants also react with other substances in the water to produce toxic compounds, such as chlorides. Moreover, such water creates ideal conditions for the growth of harmful pathogens, parasites, and viruses, turning what should be a life-giving resource into a health hazard. The water supply in Liaquatabad is a toxic mix of poisons, metals, pathogens, and toxins that are extremely harmful to human health. This water is not even fit for washing, let alone drinking. Yet, many residents of Liaquatabad have no alternative but to rely on this supply.
Responsibility for this situation lies squarely with Karachi’s elected officials, who should feel ashamed, if not resign immediately. Not everyone in Karachi can afford to pay for private water deliveries. The vast majority of the population depends on this contaminated supply, and if the situation continues, Karachi may become one of the most unliveable cities in terms of public health. This is a crisis that demands urgent action. A government that cannot provide its citizens with clean water, one of the most basic necessities, loses its legitimacy. The people of Karachi are not asking for luxuries or conveniences; they are asking for the essentials.
Clean, safe water is a fundamental right, and it is the duty of Karachi’s representatives to ensure it is provided.
