Chinese assistance sought to bring Gwadar water plant to its full operational capacity

LAHORE: The Government of Pakistan has decided to seek the assistance of Chinese experts and engineers to bring the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Desalination Plant to full operational capacity, as part of efforts to address the city’s ongoing water crisis.

According to sources, the decision was taken during a meeting on Gwadar’s water and power situation, chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal. The meeting reviewed in detail the water and electricity situation in Gwadar.

GPA Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch and GDA DG Moin Rehman Khan briefed the participants, noting that federal measures have led to “significant improvement in the electricity situation”; however, “the city is currently facing a severe water crisis.”

It was told that due to a lack of rainfall for nearly one and a half years, Gwadar’s two major reservoirs namely Ankara Dam and Swad Dam have dried up.

According to sources, on an emergency basis, the Shadi Kaur Dam line has been reactivated after three and a half years, supplying approximately 1 to 1.2 million gallons of water daily.

In addition, the GPA Water Desalination Plant is currently providing 500,000 to 600,000 gallons of water daily to the city’s old settlements.

According to sources, Ahsan Iqbal directed relevant institutions to mobilize all available resources to control the crisis. “To ensure the GPA Water Desalination Plant to run at full capacity, Chinese experts and engineers should be contacted immediately through the Chinese Embassy,” he said.

It may be mentioned here that, the 1.2 MGD Seawater Desalination Plant, located in the Gwadar Free Zone, was built with a Chinese grant of US$ 12.7 million to supply potable water to the city’s old areas and meet GPA’s needs. The plant was inaugurated on December 4, 2023. This is the plant for which Chinese experts will now be invited to help restore full operational capacity.

According to sources, on the power front, the Ministry of Energy is preparing an Integrated System Plan to stabilize Gwadar’s electricity supply, including local and alternative energy projects.

Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) has taken immediate steps to ensure 40–45 MW uninterrupted electricity, including the installation of shunt reactors, auto-voltage regulators and polymer insulators.

According to sources, Ahsan Iqbal directed that all water and power projects be fast-tracked and a comprehensive water study conducted to secure long-term relief for Gwadar.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Balochistan Zahid Saleem, the Chief of QESCO and other relevant officials, while GPA Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch and Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) Director General Moin Rehman Khan joined via video link.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025