KARACHI: Chief of the Karachi chapter of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Engr Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Wednesday held PPP and MQM responsible for the prevailing crisis of water in the city, saying that the K4 water project was initiated by then Karachi Mayor Naimatullah Khan, but was delayed by governments of the two parties, raising its cost from Rs25 billion to Rs200 billion.

In response to the statement by federal Water Resources Minister Khursheed Shah, the JI leader said that the K4 project was aimed at catering to the needs of the mega city and its scope was 620 million gallons water per day but PPP cut it to 220 million gallons.

Shah recently announced that the K4 project was in the process and now Rs200 billion project will resolve the issue of water in the city.

Engr Naeemur further said that the national exchequer suffered a massive loss due to the delay caused by PPP and MQM. Had the project been completed on time, neither the city nor the exchequer would’ve faced losses.

He demanded of the government to complete the K4 project in its original capacity of 620 million gallon water per day to avoid deepening crises in the near future.

He recalled that the project had been revised to 260m gallons water with a cost of Rs120bn and was announced to be launched in March 2022 and two years time was framed for its completion. However, he said, the PPP government has now declared its cost at Rs200bn with a capacity of 260m gallons water.

The JI leader made it clear that Karachiites demand their due rights. They need water and not mere rhetoric, he said, demanding of the government to ensure its early completion in capacity of 620m gallons water.

Engr Naeemur said that the JIs mayor, if elected in local government elections, would continue the journey of progress and development for Karachi from the very point it was discontinued at the culmination of the tenure of Naimatullah Khan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022