Five suspects held over water theft in Karachi as crackdown begins against tanker mafia

Police also impounded five tankers from the accused

KARACAHI: Days after the top judge of the Supreme Court vowed to shut down the tanker mafia across Sindh, police on Wednesday arrested five suspects involved in water theft through water tankers in Karachi.

SSP West Umer Shahid Hamid said that Manghopir police arrested the five accused on charges of water theft. They are identified as Izhar, Zaafran, Saeed Khan, Ehsanullah and Mirza.

The police official added that the suspects had been involved in water theft through tankers in the metropolis.

The police force also impounded five tankers from the accused.



On Sunday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar while hearing a case relating to non-supply of potable drinking water and sanitation in Sindh at the Supreme Court's Karachi Registry, remarked: “Everyone should get water. Tankers will be shut down at any cost."

He asked the managing director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to resign if he is not able to resolve the people’s problems regarding water shortage.

“Fulfil your obligations or quit,” remarked Justice Nisar, asking the water utility’s chief to inform the court about the hurdles. “We will deal with the tanker mafia,” he added.

Meanwhile, police arrested four suspects in separate raids in the city.

Two suspects, identified as Muhammad Ejaz and Muhammad Afzal, were arrested by Surjani Town police. The accused were involved in robbery cases.

Separately, Iqbal Market police rounded up an accused during snap checking and recovered a motorcycle, a pistol and five bullets from him.

In Orangi Town area, police arrested Syed Muhammad Javed and seized a snatched motorcycle and a pistol from his possession.