DAWN Editorials - 13th May 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Water crisis

IN large parts of Karachi, there is no water to be had. The taps have run dry for the past 12 days, bowsers have been difficult to get hold of, and the city’s water utility is nowhere to be seen. Desperate residents have found themselves forced to shell out exorbitant sums to what is often described as the ‘tanker mafia’ operating in the city. Securing a booking amidst the intense demand for tankers has been another ordeal altogether. The crisis began when a two-metre-wide supply line running through Karachi University ruptured, flooding a large part of the campus and causing ‘millions’ in losses, according to varsity officials. The KWSC, despite initially promising to resume supply within days, was unable to do so, and the crisis persisted. Irate residents from many parts of the city staged protests and blocked traffic, and the matter was eventually brought up in the Sindh Assembly. Unfortunately, no material good came from any of it.

Water shortages have accompanied the onset of summer almost every year, yet the city’s authorities seem to have nothing to show for what is being done to secure Karachi’s water requirements. Indeed, with most of the city’s water infrastructure laid down decades ago and never properly maintained or upgraded as the city grew, the water situation seems to be growing progressively worse with each passing year. Meanwhile, the KWSC has seemed, at best, technically inept. It is also deficient in resources needed to adequately handle a megacity’s water needs. Nor does the city’s problems seem to feature on the provincial government’s agenda. Karachi has been in shambles for the past many years, and profiteers have gradually taken over the provision of bare necessities to its residents. Criticism of both the KWSC and the Sindh government for their negligence in this regard is quite justified. It should not be ignored. Karachi needs a comprehensive action plan for its many issues.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025


Hostages to hostility

AS people breathe a sigh of relief after being locked with India in a hair-trigger stand-off, there are those for whom a lingering fear remains. Villagers living along the LoC in Azad Kashmir, once more find their lives have been upended by forces beyond their control. It is these people who bear the brunt of India-Pakistan hostilities. In the recent escalation, over 30 lives were lost and more than 1,100 families displaced, while hundreds of homes lay in ruins. Even as a fragile ceasefire holds, children continue to suffer the psychological scars of violence and a feeling of dread prevails. The state of emergency declared across several districts underscores the gravity of the humanitarian crisis. While educational institutions are set to reopen, safety concerns remain, particularly with reports of unexploded ordnance near civilian areas. Schools must not become sites of tragedy, and thorough safety sweeps are essential before children return to class. In the displacement camps, families remain huddled in overcrowded shelters, stripped of privacy and dignity. The most vulnerable — women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities — face heightened risks, including disease outbreaks and gender-based violence. Islamic Relief Pakistan found that over 58pc of affected communities lacked access to clean water and sanitation, and nearly 91pc experienced food insecurity.

The authorities must step in. To begin with, they must ensure that displaced families receive adequate shelter, clean drinking water, food supplies, and medical aid. Cash grants should be distributed to help meet basic needs with dignity. Above all, unexploded ordnance in civilian areas must be cleared quickly. However, humanitarian relief alone is not enough. Long-term solutions must focus on building resilient communities along the LoC. Setting up permanent, well-equipped civil defence shelters, improved early warning systems, and safe evacuation routes is essential to protect civilians. Access to mental health and trauma counselling must also be prioritised, particularly for children grappling with the psychological toll of displacement and conflict. Above all, one hopes that both sides honour their commitment to peace. Civilians along the LoC cannot remain perpetual hostages to hostility. Their right to safety, education, and a dignified life must take precedence over the destructive cycles that have scarred this region for too long.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025


Regional engagement

THE Pakistani and Chinese special envoys for Afghanistan were in Kabul on Sunday meeting various key ministers in the Afghan Taliban set-up under the banner of the trilateral dialogue mechanism linking the three neighbouring states.

Such meet-ups are important for regional integration and security, and send the message that states in the region should cooperate and solve their problems themselves. Islamabad and Beijing’s envoys met the Afghan Taliban’s interior, foreign and commerce ministers, with regard to the main issues that concern all three states: security and trade. Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani called for “mutual respect and constructive engagement”, while Pakistan’s envoy Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq said “good neighbourly relations [and] regional stability” were emphasised.


While no foreign state — including Pakistan and China — has recognised the Afghan Taliban regime, many states, especially in the wider region, have maintained diplomatic engagement with Kabul’s rulers, simply because there is no other legitimate entity to talk to in Afghanistan.

As Sunday’s meetings indicated, both Pakistan and China want to carry forward their engagement with the Afghan government. During the fifth round of the Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, which was held in Islamabad in 2023, the need to check the activities of the banned TTP and ETIM was reiterated. Both groups, believed to be active in Afghanistan, threaten Pakistan and China’s security, respectively. Therefore, it is welcome that Islamabad and Beijing jointly conveyed their concerns to Kabul.

On their part, the Afghan Taliban want to engage with China and Pakistan to enhance trade links, and help them break out of their diplomatic isolation. These objectives — security guarantees and increased trade — are interlinked, as commercial activities can only pick up when the region is safe from terrorism.


The sixth round of the Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue is due in Kabul. To make this meeting successful, the Taliban authorities should take concrete steps to address Pakistan and China’s security concerns. If terrorist groups continue to find sanctuary in Afghanistan, regional integration and increased trade will be difficult to achieve. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar was in Kabul last month, and there were indications that the Taliban would respond to Islamabad’s concerns. Pakistan should also address Kabul’s legitimate concerns to benefit all.

The Taliban have a clear choice to make: if they want regional integration and economic revival, they must take verifiable action against malign actors sheltering on their soil and threatening the region. Afghanistan’s integration into the greater Central Asia/ South Asia region would benefit its people through a revived economy. But that can only happen if Kabul enhances trust by putting militant groups out of business.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025