Clean water out of reach for remote Khost village residents

KHOST CITY (Pajhwok): Residents of Babark Tana village in the Ali Sher district of southeastern Khost province say they have been lacking access to clean drinking water for years and as a result, they are forced to rely on stagnant, contaminated water from a local stream.

Shayesta Gul, a local farmer, told Pajhwok: “We’ve been using water from the stream for years. Even animals drink from it. This is our fate—this is how we live.”

He added that the lack of access to clean water has become a daily hardship. Women, children, and the elderly spend hours searching for water.

“There’s a severe drought. There’s no water at all. Children and women constantly roam from one place to another in search of water,” he said. “No one has ever dug a well for us.”

Babark Tana is located approximately 50 kilometers from Khost city, near the Durand Line. Most of its residents rely on livestock as their primary source of livelihood.

Drought, displacement

Another resident, Noor Gul, who has spent much of his life raising livestock, said: “When it rains, the entire village depends on rainwater—because we have no other source. Whatever little water is available is usually dirty and unsafe.”

He added that the ongoing drought has caused serious concern among the community, as all their basic needs—including drinking water—are solely dependent on rainfall.

Several residents of this remote village report suffering from various illnesses due to the lack of clean drinking water.

Dawood, another local resident, said that the water crisis has even forced some families to leave the area.

“Animals drink this water, and we use it too, which causes many diseases. We urge the government to seriously consider our need for clean water,” he said.

Din Mohammad, a tribal elder from the village, expressed frustration over years of neglect by both the previous and current governments.

“No government has ever paid attention to this area,” he said. “The people here are poor. They cannot afford to dig wells or build water systems themselves.”

He urged the authorities: “We need the government to take action—dig wells, install boreholes, and build water reservoirs. There should also be a separate water system for livestock.”

Officials’ response

Local officials acknowledge the challenges residents face in accessing clean water but maintain that considerable efforts have been made in this regard.

Mestaghfar Gurbaz, spokesperson for the Khost governor, told Pajhwok that since the return of the Islamic Emirate, the provincial administration has prioritized access to clean water.

He noted that numerous charitable and humanitarian organizations had cooperated with the government to provide clean water to thousands of households in Khost city and surrounding districts.

“Still, some families in remote areas remain deprived of this essential service,” he said. “These issues have been thoroughly assessed by committees formed to address challenges in remote districts, and necessary plans have been put in place. We expect that in the near future, not only will clean drinking water be available, but other essential services will also be extended to these communities.”

According to local officials, dozens of drinking water supply systems have been built across the province over the past year, and efforts are ongoing to expand access further.

sa/ma