JI denounces ‘water tanker mafia’ in protests across city

The Karachi chapter of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) held demonstrations on Friday on major arteries of the city against acute water crisis in the city and what the party claimed to be the rule of the tanker mafia facilitated by the provincial government.

People from all walks of life participated in the protests seeking proper water supply to their houses. Addressing a demonstration outside a water hydrant at Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi JI Emir Monem Zafar said a half of the city had been deprived of water supply because of the water assault against Karachi and its residents by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)-led government in Sindh.

He said the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM) was also hands in gloves with the PPP when it came to the prevailing water crisis. He said both the parties should answer why the K-IV water supply project was in limbo as yet.

Zafar asked the provincial and local governments why Karachi was deprived of a basic necessity like water despite paying tax. Only the tanker mafia was enjoying and taking advantage of the situation, he said, adding that instead of discouraging the mafia, the PPP government proudly announced that it earned hefty amounts of money by selling out water to the people of Karachi through water tankers.

Traffic jams

Protests on various roads of the city led to severe traffic congestion in the evening hours on Friday causing inconvenience for commuters, adds our correspondent.

A protest was staged against prolonged power cuts at Shaheen Complex Chowk on II Chundrigar Road. The protest resulted in a major traffic jam, trapping thousands of office workers on their way home.

In Liaquatabad, residents held a demonstration against the lack of electricity and water supply. As a result, traffic movement was stopped on major routes in the area, including SM Taufiq Road and the road leading from Dak Khana to Teen Hatti.

At the K-Electric’s Jinnah Avenue office, a protest over power outages led to the closure of both roads between Malir Halt and the Model Colony Graveyard signal. Police redirected traffic from Malir Halt towards Malir 15, and vehicles were turned back from the K-E U-turn. Meanwhile, citizens also protested at the Chakar Hotel on the Super Highway against an anti-encroachment operation that was carried out the previous day.