Karachi Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) emir Monem Zafar has said that more than half of Karachi’s population is deprived of clean drinking water, and people are yearning for even a drop.
Addressing a press conference at the JI Karachi headquarters Idara Noor-e-Haq on Thursday, he said that three days ago, a major line ruptured at the North East Pumping Station, leaving large parts of the city — including Safura Town, Gulshan Town, Gulberg Town, North Nazimabad Town and Liaquatabad Town, deprived of water.
He said that even after the construction of the Hub Canal, the water crisis persists in District West, District Keamari, Korangi Town, SITE West, North Karachi, and Sector 7-D. He addedthat despite the passage of 22 years, the failure to complete the K-IV Water Supply Project was a glaring example of the incompetence of successive governments.
The JI leader noted that Karachi needs 1,200 million gallons of water per day, while currently only 650 million gallons per day are supplied to Karachi and that too doesn’t reach the public due to pipeline bursts and leakages.
He said that the city’s infrastructure is in ruins as roads are broken, sewage is overflowing, and the sanitation system is collapsing. Despite this, the Sindh government allocated only Rs3.2 billion for Karachi in the budget instead of the promised Rs40 billion, he deplored.
Zafar pointed out that the 26-kilometer Red Line BRT Project has become a nightmare for citizens as the entire route is filled with pits and stagnant water, making life miserable for commuters. A month has passed since the last rainfall, yet water remains on several parts of University Road, turning it into a street-like mess.
He said that the JI formed a special action committee and established a camp office to monitor the project, maintaining daily contact with relevant officials. He demanded that compensation be paid to affected business owners, adjacent roads be repaired, proper turns be built, and the project be completed at the earliest to provide relief to citizens.
“Jahangir Road, New Karachi 7000-Foot Road, and M.M. Alam Road are in disastrous condition — vehicles are overturning, yet the provincial government remains indifferent,” he said, adding that the mayor’s promise to repair major roads within 60 days “appears to be nothing but lip service.”
Zafar also highlighted the issue of long-hours loadshedding in several areas of Karachi and recalled that some 22 years ago, the privatization of the power utility was justified with the promise of an improved electricity supply, yet conditions have worsened.
“Despite paying KE Rs 900 billion over the past 20 years in subsidy, the federal government has failed to ensure uninterrupted electricity. Areas such as Korangi, Adam Nagar, Umar Colony, PECHS, Orangi Town, Baldia Town and Gulistan-e-Jauhar are still suffering up to 18 hours of load-shedding on daily basis.”