Scavengers hit abandoned K4 project

Express News show team unearths brazen theft of pipes from old project

KARACHI:

An organised racket involving corrupt officials and scrap dealers has been extracting and selling pipes from the abandoned sections of the K4 water supply project. This racket was uncovered by the team of Express News investigative show Grift.

The K4 project was launched in 2015 with the aim of supplying 650 million gallons of water daily to Karachi, but it has faced several roadblocks since then. Originally budgeted at Rs25.5 billion, the project's cost has ballooned to Rs150 billion due to delay, and remains incomplete. In 2020, construction was handed over from the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to WAPDA, which halted work, citing technical and design issues.

By then, its infrastructure, including several kilometres of iron pipes, concrete structures, and canals, had already been laid from Keenjhar Lake to Dhabeji. WAPDA, however, abandoned these assets and launched a new phase of construction in June 2021. The new project's capacity was reduced to just 260 million gallons - far below the original target.

This begs the question: What happened to the abandoned infrastructure, particularly the iron pipes and concrete structures worth multimillion rupees?

A few months ago, a video clip went viral of social media showing a truck hauling pipes allegedly stolen from the K4 project's infrastructure. This prompted the Grift team to launch an investigation, gathering information from local residents and utilising satellite images.

The investigation revealed large-scale theft of K4 pipes within the remits of Steel Town and Bin Qasim police stations. The theft took place mainly at night, with thieves allegedly in connivance with police officers ensuring that no one gets too close. Under the cover of darkness, the Grift team entered the area, where armed guards were deployed at short intervals. The guards started making calls as if alerting someone.

The Grift team observed an excavator digging up and extracting abandoned K4 pipes from the ground. The next night, they saw these pipes being cut into smaller pieces and loaded onto trucks for transport to nearby warehouses. While returning, the team noticed several dump trucks engaged in the illegal transportation of stolen sand and gravel.

The next day, the team took a different route from Thatta, where they were forced to stop due to vehicle overheating. A short while later, a police mobile arrived, and the team claimed they were filming a documentary. The police officers promised to escort the team, but after a brief period, the team accelerated and left the officers behind. Soon, they reached an area where they could clearly see the stolen K4 pipes, buried partially under the ground. The excavation had been crudely performed, and the pipes were being cut using gas welding.

While photographing the scene, another police mobile appeared, and officers introduced themselves as CIA officials. They claimed they were stationed in the area to prevent further thefts. However, these officers seemed well aware of the local mafia behind the pipe theft, and they spoke candidly about the influential people involved. The team also found evidence of recent excavation and saw how newly unearthed pipes were being cut into smaller sections.

It was revealed that the stolen pipes were being transported to various warehouses in Malir. To ensure the safe movement of these stolen pipes, "pilots" - armed men - were deployed in front of and behind the trucks to secure the route.

A few days later, the Grift team learned of a truck intercepted by Surjani Town police, containing stolen K4 pipes. Despite taking photographs at the scene, the truck was released by police.

A video soon surfaced showing pieces of K4 pipes stored in a warehouse, further implicating local police in the ongoing theft. Although some officers were reportedly suspended, the theft continues unabated.

Attempts to meet with the Managing Director of the Karachi Water and Sewrage Corporation, who would be responsible for the K4 project's oversight, were unsuccessful, as he repeatedly avoided meetings, citing various excuses. The theft of these valuable pipes highlights a deeper issue: billions of rupees of taxpayer money are being squandered and stolen, while the people of Karachi remain deprived of the water they desperately need.