Trump’s Aid Freeze Threatens Clean Water Supply in Pakistan’s Hottest City

According to a foreign news agency, the temperature in this southern Sindh city often exceeds 50°C, leading to severe water shortages and health crises such as heat strokes.

Jacobabad: Former U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of foreign aid has threatened the supply of fresh, filtered water in one of the world's hottest cities.

According to a foreign news agency, the temperature in this southern Sindh city often exceeds 50°C, leading to severe water shortages and health crises such as heat strokes.

In 2012, USAID pledged $66 million to improve municipal services in Sindh, including the rehabilitation of a plant that pumps and purifies water from a canal 22 kilometers away. However, Pakistan-based NGO ‘HANDS’ has revealed that Trump's aid freeze blocked $1.5 million allocated to sustain the project long-term, pushing it to the brink of collapse within months.

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Locals say the decision has drastically impacted their lives, especially as temperatures in Jacobabad are forecasted to exceed 30°C even in winter. The water plant supplies 1.5 million gallons (5.7 million liters) daily, serving nearly 350,000 residents.

"If the supply stops, survival will become extremely difficult because water is the most essential need for life," residents lament.

Aid Suspension Forces Shutdown, Job Losses

HANDS officials claim they received no prior warning about the 90-day aid suspension and only learned about it through media reports. As a result, the organization has had to withdraw its staff, including 47 technical experts responsible for water purification and infrastructure maintenance.

"The project is now in the hands of the local government, which lacks the technical expertise and revenue collection capacity to sustain it," HANDS CEO Tanveer Ahmed told "Dawn.'' He warned that the service could collapse within months if no alternative funding is secured.

Pakistan’s Climate Crisis Worsens Water Scarcity

According to the Climate Risk Index 2022 by Germanwatch, Pakistan is one of the most climate-affected countries. Although it contributes less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, the country experiences extreme weather events caused by human-induced climate change.

Jacobabad’s water system also suffered heavy damage in the 2010 floods, which killed 1,800 people and affected over 20 million across Sindh. The Pakistan Meteorological Department also reports 52% below-average rainfall in Sindh from September to mid-January, warning of moderate drought in the coming months.

Note: This report is based on information from Dawn.