Karachi’s water crisis sparks strong protests from PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami

Protest criticises Sindh government's handling of the crisis and called for the removal of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab

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Karachi's ongoing water shortage has sparked a wave of protests led by opposition parties, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).

The protest, held outside the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's central building, criticised the provincial government's handling of the crisis and called for the removal of Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Express News reported.

Saifuddin Advocate, the leader of the opposition in Karachi City Council, accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of misgovernance, saying that half of Karachi had been without water for the last 10 days.

He also criticised the city's leadership, particularly the mayor, for prioritising corruption over public welfare.

"For 16 years, the PPP has been in power, and look at the condition of Karachi today," Saifuddin remarked during the protest.

The opposition leader accused the mayor of focusing solely on corruption while the city’s residents suffered.

He added, "billions of rupees in funds are being siphoned off with no visible results."

Saifuddin also mentioned that contracts for municipal services were being awarded without proper tenders, leading to further corruption.

Protestors chanted slogans demanding that Karachi’s water supply be restored and that Mayor Wahab resign over the failure to address the crisis.

They also accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party of engaging in corruption, with Saifuddin claiming that the MQM’s MPs were silenced with a hefty disbursement of funds.

"We will continue to protest in the council and approach the courts against these corrupt practices," Saifuddin warned.

He called for the establishment of fair oversight and the immediate restoration of water supplies to Karachi's affected areas.

Earlier today, it was reported that Karachi may once again face the threat of a water crisis after a leak developed in the 84-inch pipeline that was recently repaired.

The pipeline had been damaged during construction work on the Red Line project, and repair work took eight days to complete, during which the city faced severe water shortages.

According to Express News, the Water Corporation officials are now deliberating whether to halt water supply again for further repairs or to continue with water distribution while carrying out maintenance.

The 84-inch pipeline had ruptured at two points on December 3, causing a disruption in water supply across Karachi.

During the repair work, which lasted eight days, the city went without water, leading to a critical shortage.

Approximately 2.5 billion gallons of water could not be supplied to the city during this period, leaving residents struggling to meet their daily needs.

After the repair work was completed, water supply resumed, but a new leak has emerged, with water accumulating in a trench.

The situation remains critical, and the leak could worsen over time, further complicating water supply efforts.

Residents of Karachi had to buy water worth over Rs 3 billion during the eight-day crisis to meet their essential needs.

Now, with the new leak, there is a renewed risk of a water shortage, and officials are scrambling to address the issue.