Outskirts of Islamabad record 4 young deaths, locals seek probe
Four young people have died within a month on the outskirts of Islamabad, and now everyone is worried about what is coming out of their taps.
The deaths were reported in Sarai Kharboza, Dhoke Abbasi, and Mohalla Usmania.
Locals are urging the federal health minister to intervene and calling for a transparent inquiry into the deaths and possible water contamination.
Dr. Gul Khan urges accredited testing
After these tragedies, people want local water supplies checked as soon as possible.
Dr. Gul Khan from Sangjani Hospital warned that sewage leaks or polluted groundwater could be making things worse.
He suggests getting water tested at accredited laboratories, and until then, boiling or filtering it just to be safe.
WHO statistic highlights Pakistan water risk
Dr. Khan's warning reflects a larger problem: according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 38.8 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019 were attributable to unsafe water, poor sanitation and inadequate hygiene facilities across Pakistan.
Now, communities are anxiously waiting to see if their own water is putting them at risk too.