SHC gives CBC 48 hours to supply water

KARACHI:

Sindh High Court (SHC) gave Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) a 48-hour deadline to resume water supply to residents or face contempt of court proceedings.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, heard the petition filed by the Cantonment Board Clifton (CBC) regarding water charges collection. Justice Rajput questioned the Board's lawyer, "Why are you collecting charges when you're not providing water?"

The petitioner's lawyer contended that tankers are used to deliver water, and separate fees are collected for this service.

Justice Rajput remarked, "we will send the matter to the Chief Justice of SHC for the formation of a larger bench." This is a matter of "no service no charges."

The petitioner's lawyer argued that the SHC has already given a decision in this regard. In contrast, the government lawyer countered that they are collecting charges in the name of maintenance fee.

Justice Rajput made a scathing remark, "K-Electric does not provide electricity, but they have this excuse that birds are sitting on their electricity wires. Are fish swimming in your water lines? Yet, you collect charges. They should also pay you charges and give money to the tanker mafia."

The Board's lawyer threatened to disconnect the water lines of those who fail to pay charges, but the petitioner's lawyer countered that this was an empty threat since many areas don't even have water supply lines. "Where will you sever the connection?" they asked.

Justice Rajput remarked that the Cantonment Board and Sindh government seemed more interested in profiting from the situation than resolving the issue. "Your only effort is to make money, even if the locality is destroyed," he remarked. "For 75 years, no meaningful work has been done for the welfare of the people."