Personal motives? Karachi Water Tanker Ittehad protest on Sharae Faisal

Association wants govt water hydrants to be run by either KWSB or Rangers.

KARACHI: One of the water tanker associations of the city, Karachi Water Tanker Ittehad, parked hundreds of water tankers outside Karachi Water and Sewerage Board's (KWSB) office on main Sharae Faisal in protest on Thursday.

The association's chairperson, Raiz Baloch, demanded that all government water hydrants should be run by KWSB or should be handed over to the Rangers. He also demanded to immediately abolish the contractor system that is used to run water hydrants in the city, adding that the filling charges of the tankers, which vary from place to place, must be same. The chairperson threatened of dire consequences if the government fails to meet their demands.

The spokesperson of the association, Humayo Mirza, said that they would spread their protest to Site and Jehangir Road in the next 48 hours, if the government failed to meet their demands.

Meanwhile, Karachi Water Tankers Owners Welfare Association general secretary Hazoor Khan told The Express Tribune that they have nothing to do with the protest. He said that they have personal motives and that is why Karachi Water Tanker Ittehad is protesting. KWSB's managing director Misbahuddin Farid claimed they too have nothing to do with the protest, adding that the fight is between the contractors and water tanker associations.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2016.