{"id":4531,"date":"2025-12-13T22:40:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T22:40:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/?p=4531"},"modified":"2025-12-13T22:40:58","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T22:40:58","slug":"report-on-the-water-crisis-in-balochistan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/report-on-the-water-crisis-in-balochistan\/","title":{"rendered":"Report on the Water Crisis in Balochistan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Introduction<\/strong>
The water crisis in Balochistan has become one of the most serious humanitarian and social challenges facing the region. Widespread deprivation of access to safe drinking water, long-term dependence on mobile water tankers, and the transfer of local water resources outside the region have systematically undermined the fundamental rights of the Baloch people to a dignified life, health, livelihood, and sustainable development. This report, based on official statements and field testimonies, examines the dimensions of this crisis and its impact on the lives of local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to Safe Drinking Water<\/strong>
According to statements by the CEO of the Sistan and Balochistan Water and Wastewater Company, more than 900 villages in the province still lack access to a sustainable water supply network and rely on mobile water tankers for their daily needs. This prolonged dependence\u2014particularly in the districts of Dashtiyari, Rask, and Sarbaz\u2014reflects chronic neglect and the absence of effective planning for the development of vital infrastructure. Field reports collected by the Balochistan Human Rights Group indicate that tanker-delivered water is neither regular nor free of charge. Residents are forced to purchase water at very high prices, while the quality of the water is often unsuitable for drinking or even basic daily use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social and Health Impacts<\/strong>
The lack of safe water has had direct and severe consequences for public health, especially for children, the elderly, and women. The absence of hygienic water increases the risk of waterborne diseases and places an additional burden on households. Long waits for water tankers, ongoing water insecurity, and high costs have undermined human dignity and intensified feelings of injustice and marginalization among residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water Transfers and Structural Discrimination<\/strong>
While large parts of Balochistan continue to suffer from acute water shortages, major projects to transfer water from the Baluchistan coast to central provinces are being rapidly implemented. Water is being diverted to provinces such as Yazd, Isfahan, and the Khorasan regions, while access to drinking water for local Baloch communities remains unresolved. This stark contrast highlights structural discrimination in water policies and the prioritization of other regions at the expense of the fundamental rights of the Baloch people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kahir Dam in Konarak: From Promise to Deprivation<\/strong>
The Kahir Dam in Konarak County was constructed to provide drinking water and support agriculture for local communities. However, according to field reports, a significant portion of the dam\u2019s water is being diverted outside the region by state-affiliated companies and contractors, without meaningful consultation with local residents. As a result, water scarcity persists, public dissatisfaction has increased, forced migration has intensified, and the social and economic fabric of the region has been weakened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic and Environmental Consequences<\/strong>
The diversion of water from the Kahir Dam has inflicted serious damage on agriculture and livestock farming. Farmlands have been abandoned, herders face severe shortages of water and fodder, and poverty and unemployment are rising. From an environmental perspective, the drying of fertile lands, degradation of rangelands, and disruption of the local ecosystem have been reported, posing a serious threat to environmental sustainability and traditional livelihoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legal and Human Assessment<\/strong>
According to widely accepted humanitarian and legal standards, access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. The current situation in Baluchistan constitutes a violation of this right, as well as related rights to health, livelihood, development, and effective participation in local decision-making. The continued transfer of local water resources without ensuring the basic needs of indigenous communities is in clear contradiction with the principles of justice, non-discrimination, and sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demands and Recommendations<\/strong>
The Balochistan Human Rights Group calls for the following urgent measures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. An immediate halt to the transfer of water from the Kahir Dam and other local water resources until the sustainable provision of drinking water and livelihoods for local communities is fully ensured.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Rapid development of sustainable water supply networks in villages lacking access, with guarantees of water quality, affordability, and reliability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Independent legal, social, and environmental assessments of water transfer projects and their impacts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Compensation for the economic, social, and environmental damages inflicted on local communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Meaningful participation of indigenous and local residents in all decision-making processes related to water resources.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/strong>
    The water crisis in Balochistan is not the result of a lack of resources, but rather the direct consequence of discriminatory policies and the persistent neglect of vital infrastructure development. Addressing this crisis requires a fundamental shift in approach\u2014one that prioritizes the basic rights of the Baluch people and demonstrates genuine commitment to justice and sustainable development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    IntroductionThe water crisis in Balochistan has become one of the most serious humanitarian and social challenges facing the region. Widespread deprivation of access to safe drinking water, long-term dependence on mobile water tankers, and the transfer of local water resources outside the region have systematically undermined the fundamental rights of the Baloch people to a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4532,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-human_rights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4531","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4531"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4531\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4533,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4531\/revisions\/4533"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4531"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4531"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bhrg.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4531"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}