RAWALPINDI: Water supply through tankers in the garrison city has been disrupted after all available tankers were shifted to Taxila to provide water to police officials deployed along the Punjab border to prevent the PTI long march from Peshawar to Islamabad.

Although the PTI has postponed its long march from September 27 to October 4, the government has not yet released the water tankers and staff deployed in Taxila to return to Rawalpindi and resume the water supply service.

According to an official, more than 43,200 police personnel have been deployed to deal with the PTI march. Of these, 30,700 personnel have been deployed in Attock, 10,600 in Rawalpindi district and 1,976 in Jhelum, Murree and Chakwal.

As many as 35 schools in the district have been vacated in Rawalpindi city and cantonment for the stay of the police officials. In and around Taxila, five government schools, one private school and a college have been vacated and tankers deployed to arrange water for the policemen.

Tankers will remain in Taxila till presence of force deployed to counter PTI long march, says Wasa chief

Earlier, the district administration asked Wasa to send all its 22 water tankers with staff to meet the water requirement of the police personnel.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that 35 schools selected for lodging the policemen had been closed for students.

When contacted, Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan confirmed that the civic agency had sent water tankers to Taxila and surrounding areas to meet the water requirement of the police.

He said the tankers will remain there till the presence of the force. He said to meet the requirement of the garrison city water was being supplied through the supply system.

He said that there were some areas where water was being supplied through tankers. He said that water supply time had been increased in the areas so there would be no water shortage.

On the other hand, residents of the garrison city expressed resentments over the suspension of water tanker service. They said that private water tankers had increased their charges to cash in on the situation from Rs4000 to Rs5000.

“Wasa provided water tanker on lower rates compared to private tankers and suspension of the service has created problems in many areas including residential colonies around the old Airport Road,” said Mohammad Anwar, a resident of Shah Khalid Colony.

He said that Wasa failed to improve the water supply system and people were faced with water scarcity. He said that water supply through the supply line was not sufficient as many people have installed water sucking machines and the civic agency failed to take action against them.

Malik Raza, a resident of Satellite Town, said that he required a water tanker but Wasa officials informed him that there would be no water tankers till October 6.

“The government should arrange private water tanker for the police personnel instead of sending all tankers from the city areas,” he said.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2026