Centre, Sindh govt slammed for failing to complete K-IV project

Water reservoir expert Muhammad Bashir Lakhani on Saturday criticised the federal and Sindh governments for their continued incompetence and failure to complete the K-IV project, which has remained in limbo since 2003.

Lakhani was speaking during a seminar, titled ‘The Water Crisis in Karachi and its Solutions’, which was jointly organised by the Pakistan Engineers Forum (PEF) and Rebuild Karachi at a hotel.

The event brought together leading water experts, academics, engineers, business leaders and political representatives to address the city’s worsening water crisis, and propose practical steps forward.

Lakhani recalled that while working on the K-III water supply project, it was already evident that the K-IV project needed to be initiated immediately. “K-III is the only project in Pakistan’s history that was completed on time, and within the allocated budget.”

He explained that K-IV is designed to bring additional water from outside the city’s existing supply system, through a canal routed between the National Highway and the Super Highway.

He noted that after 12 years and significant expenditure, the Centre took control of the project from the provincial government and handed it over to the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).

“Wapda refused to work on the old design, and opted for a new one,” he said, adding that over 60 per cent of the project work has now been completed.

He revealed that the plan includes sourcing water via the Keenjhar Lake, and the project is expected to be completed by June 2026. “We’ll bring the water to Karachi through new connections, but the responsibility of distribution lies with the water board.”

He also pointed out that recurring pipeline bursts at Dhabeji have been factored into the new design of the K-IV project to improve infrastructure resilience.

Speakers shared that a fatwa was obtained from Mufti Taqi Usmani confirming that treated sewage can be used for industrial purposes — a potential alternative amid growing shortages.

They expressed frustration over the prolonged delays and lack of political will. “We even asked federal minister Ahsan Iqbal if the water issue would be resolved, but we weren’t convinced,” said a speaker. “Karachi has been generating revenue for 75 years, yet we still don’t have a proper water supply.”

Some speakers voiced their doubt if Karachi would even benefit from K-IV upon completion, with businesses increasingly relocating to other cities due to poor infrastructure. “Only the people of Karachi are good. The rest is dysfunctional,” said a speaker.

Despite these grim assessments, the speakers called for unified action to resolve the crisis. “We hope that with collective effort, these issues will be resolved,” said Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi Emir Monem Zafar.

Former PEF president Engr Kazim Mansoor gave a personal testimony to highlight the daily reality of many Karachiites. “Given the current situation, it feels like Karachi will remain thirsty. I’ve been buying water from tankers for the past 20 years. It doesn’t seem like I’ll ever get piped water in my lifetime.”

The seminar ended with a consensus that the city’s water crisis requires immediate and coordinated efforts by all levels of government, public institutions and civil society.