Work on Karachi's K-IV project likely to be resumed

As the differences between two consultants, the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) and M/s Osmani & Company, have been ironed out, work on the K-IV bulk water supply project is likely to be resumed. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah wants to launch the project again and a meeting has been scheduled in this regard the next month, sources from The CM House told The News.

The sources revealed that the project would be started from the same alignment. They said a meeting was also recently convened on the project with the CM in the chair. The Karachi Corps Commander also attended the meeting in which the CM expressed his confidence in the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

According to the sources, a firm from China has also shown interest in the K-IV project that would supply 260 million gallons of water per day (MGD) to Karachi after the completion of its first phase. They said 75 per cent of the civil work on the project has been completed and some of the mechanical work would be started very soon.

The News has also learnt that the federal government has rejected the proposal given by NESPAK which had caused differences.

It may be recalled here that the bulk supply project was launched in 2007 during the rule of Syed Qaim Ali Shah as the Sindh chief minister. The contract of the project was awarded to the FWO by then local government minister Jam Khan Shoro.

Later, Saeed Ghani, when he was the Sindh local government minister, awarded a contract to NESPAK to find out flaws in the project as a third party.

Due to the delays, the cost of the project has escalated. The K-IV project director, Asad Zamin, was not available for comments.