Karachi water theft unit lands in hot water over corruption claims

KARACHI:

A police station established to curb water theft in Karachi has itself come under serious allegations of corruption and misconduct, with claims emerging that officials are instead protecting those involved in illegal water activities.

The controversy centres around the Water Corporation police station, where SHO Mazhar Iqbal Awan has been accused of extortion and abuse of authority by an RO filtre plant owner in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

Waqas Malikk, owner of an RO filtration plant operating under a valid Sindh Food Authority license since 2023, has submitted a written complaint to the IG Sindh and other senior police officials. In his application, he alleged that the SHO demanded bribes from him and subjected him to continuous harassment.

The complainant stated that he had already applied to the Water Corporation for a sub-soil/bore water license under the relevant 2024 regulations. However, after refusing to pay the alleged bribe, he claimed the SHO, in collusion with certain Water Corporation officials, registered what he described as a false and baseless FIR against him on charges of water theft.

According to the FIR, charges under Section 2/39 were imposed, alleging illegal water theft operations. However, Malik argued that the law only applies in cases where water is stolen through illegal connections to Water Corporation supply lines.