PTI alleges large-scalecover-up in high costwater project

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has rejected Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab's claims regarding the restoration of the New Hub Canal, alleging that the project has instead been buried under soil to conceal corruption worth Rs12 billion by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

PTI Karachi Division General Secretary Arsalan Khalid, along with leaders Ameer Hamza, Fauzia Siddiqui and Rao Azam, visited the New Hub Canal site. During the visit, PTI leaders staged a symbolic funeral and constructed a symbolic grave of the project to register their protest and highlight what they termed as the true state of affairs.

Speaking to the media, Arsalan Khalid said the mayor was misleading the people of Karachi with false statements. He maintained that pictures and on-ground observations showed that while both the old and new canals exist, the new canal built at a cost of billions was completely dry, broken and buried under soil. "Only the old canal is functional, while Rs12 billions of public money has been wasted on the so-called new canal. Instead of repairing the project, authorities have merely whitewashed and plastered the old structure to cover up corruption," he alleged.

Arsalan Khalid further claimed that PPP had buried the new canal under tons of soil while merging broken portions into the old canal, which had already been supplying water for years. He added that the PPP's claim of providing 100 million gallons of water per day through the project was nothing but an empty promise.

PTI Karachi spokesperson Fauzia Siddiqui said PPP's corruption had devastated the city. She pointed out that the PPP had completed the New Hub Canal project in nine months at a cost of Rs12bn and even inaugurated it on August 13. However, rains on September 9 had already exposed the flaws and irregularities in the project. "False statements can not mislead the public anymore. Both media and citizens can visit the canal and witness for themselves that the new structure is dry and non-functional," she added.

The PTI Karachi Division demanded the formation of an independent commission to investigate corruption in the project. Party leaders also announced that PTI would approach the courts to ensure that taxpayers' money was not lost to corruption.