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Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Centre to help resolve Sindh's water woes
The federal government assured the Sindh government on Thursday of its full cooperation in addressing the province's water-related issues, including K-IV Phase-1, improvements in the Hub Canal water share, the Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD), and water distribution under the 1991 Water Accord. Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah held a meeting with Federal Water Resources Minister Moin Wattoo at the Chief Minister House to discuss key water projects. The issue of water shortage for Karachi metropolis figured prominently in the meeting. The meeting was attended by Provincial Planning Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Naveed Asghar Chaudhry, Sindh Chief Secretary Rahim Sheikh and senior officers. The meeting took place after a visit to the K-IV project by Wattoo, along with provincial Planning Minister Nasir Shah. The meeting was informed that with 63% construction work finished, the project's Phase I would be completed next year. The water requirement of Karachi, at present, is 1,300 million gallons per day (MGD). However, the city receives half of its needs – 650 MGD. To meet the shortage, the Sindh government planned K-IV project to supply 650 MGD from Keenjhar Lake to the city. WAPDA is working on Phase-1 of the project, following its approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2022 at a cost of Rs126.404 billion. Despite administrative approval, the chief minister stated that the project faced challenges that needed federal intervention. Shah pointed out that the project required Rs39.964 billion funding during the current fiscal year, 2025-26, but the federal government had allocated Rs3.209 billion only. It could cause delays, risking cost escalation and contractor claims. Wattoo told the chief minister that he would brief Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding the project to secure additional funds. He acknowledged that Sindh had mostly resolved the Right of Way (ROW) issues but two major obstacles still remained – land acquisition in Thatta and a court case. The chief minister assured that the land for the pumping station in Thatta would be handed over soon. He also assured the federal government of the release of Rs8.5 billion as part of the fourth quarterly instalment in Sindh's share of funding in the project. Chief Minister Shah said that Sindh had repaired the old Hub Canal and built a new 100 MGD-capacity channel to improve water supply to Karachi. Both leaders agreed to conduct a technical survey to assess water availability before submitting recommendations to the Council of Common Interests (CCI). Inter-provincial water distribution The chief minister urged the federal minister to facilitate a direct meeting between Sindh and Punjab's irrigation departments to resolve the water-sharing disputes. He emphasised that water distribution must be done under the 1991 Water Accord. Chief Minister Shah recalled that the CCI had tasked the then attorney general for Pakistan with reviewing the accord during the tenure of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Wattoo agreed to hold separate meetings with representatives from both provinces.
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Minister visits K-IV project to review progress
LAHORE: Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo visited Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K-IV Project) and reviewed the ongoing development works on the project. The federal minister visited in detail various key work fronts, which included intake structure and pumping stations being constructed at Keenjhar lake, water conveyance system consisting of pressurized pipeline from Keenjhar to Karachi as well as water reservoirs and filtration plants in suburbs of Karachi. During the visit, the federal minister was briefed by the project team about the site-wise progress achieved so far, remaining works and timelines for their completion. It was briefed that construction work on all components of the project is in progress at a satisfactory pace. Overall physical progress stands at 63 percent, while a sum of Rs 86.4 billion has so far been spent on construction of the project. Phase-I is planned to be completed in 2026, provided the required funds are made accordingly. Speaking on the occasion, the federal minister expressed satisfaction over the pace of work and reiterated the federal government's full support for the project. K-IV is a vital scheme for supplementing water supplies to Karachi to meet water requirements for the urban use. 'We are committed to ensuring completion of K-IV at the earliest as it is one of the priority projects of the Ministry of Water Resources,' he added. The minister emphasized the need for enhanced coordination among all stakeholders to remove bottlenecks for smooth implementation of the project. He also directed the consultants and the contractors to adhere to the quality standards stipulated for the project. The K-IV project is a critical infrastructure initiative aimed at addressing Karachi's acute water shortage by providing an additional 650 million gallons per day (MGD) water to Karachi from Keenjhar lake. The project is planned to be completed in two phases. At present, WAPDA is constructing Phase-I of to supply 260 MGD water to Karachi. Phase-II, when implemented, will also augment another 390 MGD water to the system for Karachi. Phase-I is being implemented through eight contract packages awarded to different local and international contractors. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
K-IV project: Murad directs accelerated work on all lots
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over a meeting on the K-IV augmentation project, insisted that the work on all lots must be speeded up with high quality, particularly on Lots 1 and 2 in September. The meeting was attended by Minister Local Govt Saeed Ghani (on video link), Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Secretary Local Govt Waseem Shamshad, PD K-IV Usman Moazzam and others. The K-IV project has been started with the support of the World Bank. During the briefing, the CM was told Key highlights from the meeting include the transmission of water from Reservoir One to the Y junction as part of Lot One. Lot Two will establish a water line from Reservoir Two to Sir Syed University, while Lot Three will lay a water line from Sir Syed University to Gul Bai. Additionally, Lot Four will create a water transmission system from Reservoir Three to Banaras. The K-IV and BRT projects will share a 2.7-kilometre common corridor, featuring water pipelines that measure 96 and 72 inches in diameter. The 96-inch water line will be located near Aziz Bhatti Park and Urdu College, and the 72-inch line will also be established in the area. Notably, the work on the common corridor for K-IV and BRT has already been awarded, with plans to commence in September. The Chief Minister instructed the acceleration of work on the K-IV Augmentation and directed the Chairman of Planning and Development to ensure progress. Furthermore, Murad Ali Shah emphasised the importance of the K-IV Augmentation project. He insisted that the work on all lots must be of high quality, urging Mayor Karachi to pay close attention to the project's standards. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
18-07-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Funding crunch delays K-IV project
Listen to article For years, the K-IV project has been viewed as a lifeline for Karachi's residents suffering from chronic water shortages. Yet it appears that the financial and administrative hurdles plaguing the completion of the project are here to stay for another four to five years. Originally launched in 2016 under the Sindh government and Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) with an initial PC-1 cost of Rs25 billion, the K-IV project aimed to supply 260 million gallons per day (MGD) to Karachi within two years. However, due to severe mismanagement and design flaws, the project was halted in 2018 after achieving only 20 per cent progress. In 2021, the federal government transferred control of the project to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), which redesigned it, inflating the project cost to Rs126 billion. Construction resumed in 2022, with a revised completion target of December 2025. A WAPDA official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that over 63 percent of the project has been completed, however, due to rising construction material costs, an additional Rs30 billion is required. "A revised PC-1 has been submitted to the federal government for approval, but the project has reportedly been downgraded from the government's priority list. Against the remaining Rs40 billion requirement, only Rs3.5 billion has been allocated in the current budget, causing work stoppages on two filtration plants and a major pipeline section, while other components are progressing at a sluggish pace," confirmed the official. Efforts to obtain official comments from WAPDA General Manager (South) and K-IV Project Director Aamir Mughal remained unsuccessful, as repeated attempts to contact his office yielded no response. Reportedly, the core component of the K-IV project involves laying an underground pipeline from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi's Kathore area, supervised by WAPDA. However, three additional critical projects tied to K-IV remain the Sindh government's responsibility. The first project concerns the augmentation plan. This project, financed through a 260 million US dollars World Bank loan, involves laying approximately 100 kilometers of bulk distribution pipelines within Karachi and connecting them to existing pumping stations. Similarly, the power supply project involves installing a 132-kilovolt transmission line from Jhimpir grid station to the K-IV pumping complex near Keenjhar Lake to provide 50 megawatts power, with an estimated cost of Rs16 billion. Lastly, the KB feeder canal lining project, spanning 38 miles, aims to rehabilitate and widen the canal from the Indus river to Keenjhar lake, to ensure full quota delivery. A senior KWSC official anonymously confirmed that while official schedules promised completion of these three projects within two years, actual timelines were expected to stretch much longer due to bureaucratic hurdles, utility shifting delays, and complex technical requirements. Repeated efforts to reach Sindh's Secretary Irrigation, Zareef Khero, for comments remained unanswered, while the concerned Executive Engineer cited his recent appointment as an excuse for his inability to comment at this stage. According to a survey conducted by the Express Tribune, Karachi's daily water requirement stands at 1,200 million gallons, while the city currently receives only 650 million gallons from the Indus River and Hub Dam, leaving a staggering shortfall of 550 million gallons per day. The survey also revealed that the KWSC officials, in alleged collusion with the tanker mafia and illegal groundwater extraction networks, have created an artificial water crisis in several areas, including Clifton, Defence, Gulshan-e-Iqbal (13D-2, 13D-3), North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, and PECHS. Despite the critical importance of the K-IV water project to Karachi's future water security, bureaucratic inefficiencies, lack of political will, and severe underfunding continue to jeopardize its timely completion.
Business Recorder
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
JI decries ‘aggressive' drive of Karachi traffic police
KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Chief Monem Zafar Khan has called on the citizens of Karachi to stand up for their rights and resist what he described as systematic exploitation of rulers. He particularly condemned the traffic police's 'aggressive' fining practices and the government's neglect of essential civic services, despite the megacity's massive tax contributions. Speaking at a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, the party's city headquarters on Thursday, he cited official figures to reveal that over 52,000 traffic challans were issued in Karachi in just two months, raising serious questions about the police's approach and the government's priorities. He accused the authorities of excessive use of force, corruption, and the arbitrary impounding of motorcycles, many of which are the sole means of transport for low-income citizens. He further criticized IGP Sindh for threatening to double the fines, suspending driving licenses, and blocking national identity cards (CNICs) of those unable to pay penalties on time. 'What would you do if citizens cannot pay the fine in 200 days,' Monem asked pointedly. 'Do you strip them of citizenship or expel them from the country?' He questioned why such harsh rules apply only to Karachiites while essential services continue to be ignored. 'All the rules are for the people of this megacity— but where are the basic facilities,' he asked. Monem lambasted the government for failing to address the megacity's infrastructure needs. 'Instead of focusing on zebra crossings, footpaths, pavements, and traffic signals, the administration is obsessed with issuing challans,' he said, adding that the resulting frustration is particularly high among the youth. To support citizens targeted by what he called 'traffic police excesses,' the JI leader announced that help desks will be set up at all district party offices to assist those facing unjust fines. He also highlighted the widespread use of motorcycles in Karachi— used by over 4.5 million people— and urged young riders to wear helmets, carry valid licenses, and follow traffic laws while firmly resisting corruption. The JI leader pointed to figures from the tax department to argue that Karachi contributed Rs3,256 billion in taxes, an increase of 29.46 percent over the previous year. Despite this, he said, the city remains deprived of its rightful share of development and services. As an example, he cited the K-IV water supply project, saying it requires Rs40 billion for completion, yet only Rs3.2 billion was allocated in the current budget— effectively stalling a project already lingered for 22 years and ballooned from Rs26 billion to nearly Rs200 billion in cost. He also took aim at City Mayor Murtaza Wahab, who chairs the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation under the Sindh government. Monem questioned the purpose of the corporation, especially after recent rains exposed the fragility of the megacity's drainage infrastructure. 'If the corporation is not responsible for drainage issues, then who is; what is its job description,' he asked. He noted that the Sindh government has received $1.6 billion in funding specifically for upgrading water and sanitation services, yet little improvement has been seen on the ground. Addressing the city's traffic congestion, the JI leader emphasised the dire need for a comprehensive mass transit system, including 10,000 new buses, a light rail network, and the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR). He lamented that only 300 buses had been introduced over the past 17 years, which is grossly insufficient for a city of Karachi's size. In response to a question, Monem outlined the party's key priorities for the year, stating that education, healthcare, and development would remain its top concerns. He noted that the budgets for these sectors have been increased in the nine towns currently administered by JI in Karachi. 'We are committed to building a just, functioning city where citizens are respected, not punished.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
