Looking for solutions: MQM, PTI raise voices against ongoing water crisis

Altaf Hussain also calls CM, urges him to address the shortage.

KARACHI: The growing water crisis in the city has led both the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) to hold separate protests in hopes that the shortage will be addressed by the Sindh government.

In fact, MQM chief Altaf Hussain called Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Qaim Ali Shah early on Monday and urged him to play his part in solving the ongoing water crisis in the city. People are facing problems owing to the water shortage and the CM should provide relief, said Hussain, adding that his party's parliamentarians had prepared a number of solutions for the ongoing crisis.

Meanwhile, the MQM marked the third-day of its citywide protests at Muhajir Camp in Baldia town on Monday. MNA Salman Baloch warned that if the crisis is not solved soon, so many women and children will take to the streets that the water board MD will not be able to step out of his house.

There is great development taking place in the Punjab and Karachi is being ignored, claimed MQM MNA Sohail Mansoor.  "The people of Karachi are being mistreated," he said. "This should be stopped and the people of the city should be owned." He said that their party wants an end to the water crisis.

PTI gears up for own protest

The Karachi leadership of PTI is also preparing for a protest against the water crisis next week. "The main part is to understand the problem," said Ali Zaidi, the head of PTI's Karachi division. "Why is the city going dry?" All the stakeholders must understand the problem first, and then figure out how to solve it, he suggested. Zaidi pointed out that when the city was expanding, the authorities failed to install new pipelines, adding that the same old pipe lines are still in place. The city was brought to this position because of no planning, he said.

Zaidi welcomed all the people of Karachi, whether or not they belong to PTI or any other party, to join their protest against the water crisis. He also demanded a population-wise distribution of water to the city's various districts, and urged the media to report on it.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2015.