Work on K4 water scheme for Karachi stopped: CM Sindh

SUKKUR: The Sindh chief minister dropped a bombshell for the Karachiites telling them formally and finally that the most-sought- after K4 water scheme has been dropped.

Talking to the media after attending the of 276 Urs celebrations of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (RA) at Bhitshah on Thursday, the chief minister said the provincial government had long been opposing the 650 MGD K4 water scheme on grounds of faulty planning. However, Prime Minister Imran Khan during his first ever visit to Karachi after becoming the prime minster on September 16, 2018 was informed of the poor planning and design of the over Rs25 billion water scheme, following which the work on the water project was stopped.

The chief minister said we had all along been objecting to the scheme but we were criticised as if the Sindh government was opposed to the K4 scheme. He said now even the federal government was confused about it. Conceding that there is major water shortage in Karachi, Shah claimed Sindh government is working on alternate projects that would supply 185 MGD to Karachi. He said he would also try to resolve the K-4 Project. About the nagging issue of Karachi’s garbage removal, the chief minister outright said it was not the responsibility of the Sindh government and the other political forces of the city also have a role to play.

Replying to another question he said the non-functional RO Plants in Tharparkar would be revived soon.

To another question, he said the federal government has denied Sindh’s share in the NFC Award. He claimed the federal government is also creating hurdles in construction of the Indus Highway. He said in 2017 the federal government had asked Sindh government to foot fifty per cent payment of Indus Highway project after which the federal government could build the highway, but that has not happened so far. Responding to a question about Maulana Fazalur Rehman’s Azadi March, Syed Murad Ali Shah said the provincial government would provide safe and secure passage to the participants, adding peaceful protest is the constitutional right of every citizen of the country.

Earlier, the Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah laid floral wreath and offered fateha at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai on the concluding day of 276 urs celebrations at Bhitshah. Several officers and ministers were also present on the occasion.