Bathing, gatherings banned along Hub Canal till July 17

Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi has imposed a complete ban on swimming, bathing and public gatherings along the Hub Canal in response to a formal request by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) chief executive officer, Ahmed Ali Siddiqui.

The decision came amid rising incidents of drowning, growing threats to public safety and concerns over the security of the city’s critical water supply infrastructure. Recognising the gravity of the situation, the commissioner invoked the Section 144 of the Pakistan Penal Code to enforce the ban from June 16 till July 17, 2025.

According to the official notification, illegal activities along the Hub Canal not only pose a danger to human lives but also risk damaging Karachi’s already fragile water supply system. The commissioner directed all the relevant station house officers (SHOs) to take immediate legal action under the Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code against any violations of the ban and register cases accordingly.

A spokesperson for the water corporation has appealed to the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and refrain from engaging in unnecessary or hazardous activities near the Hub Canal.