Progressive Students’ Collective strongly condemns the closure of three major universities in Sindh due to an acute shortage of water. The Sindh University, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, and Shaheed Allah Buksh Soomro University of Art, Design, and Heritage have been forced to halt physical operations, directing students to attend online classes until further notice.
This decision stems from a severe disruption in the water supply caused by the failure of the KB Feeder Canal, which draws water from the Indus River. This canal serves not only the educational institutions but also millions of residents in Sindh, underscoring a larger crisis of water mismanagement in the province. While the universities have announced plans to reassess the situation in February, this shutdown highlights the glaring neglect of fundamental resources and infrastructure by the state.
PSC strongly criticizes the government’s inability to prioritize water access for both educational institutions and the general population. This crisis is a reflection of the broader structural inequalities and neglect that plague Sindh, a province already grappling with resource deprivation and environmental degradation.
Moreover, this situation lays bare the contradictions of Pakistan’s developmental priorities, where billions are poured into mega-projects like CPEC while basic necessities like water for education remain unaddressed. The state’s negligence perpetuates the dispossession of marginalized communities and creates barriers to education.
PSC demands the immediate restoration of water supply to universities and surrounding areas along with sustainable water management policies to prevent future crises.
The closure of universities due to something as basic as water scarcity is a national shame. Education should never be compromised by the state’s apathy.
In solidarity,
Progressive Students’ Collective
