KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has lashed out at the ruling PPP for failing to address the megacity’s worsening water crisis, announcing protests for today to pressure the Sindh government into an immediate action.

The JI is holding protests at the city’s 15 major points today (Saturday),” against the relentless civic crisis including water shortage, JI Karachi Chief, Monem Zafar told a news conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Friday.

Joined by senior party leaders and representatives of affected cooperative housing societies, he accused the PPP government of neglecting Karachi despite its significant revenue contributions to the national and provincial economy.

“Over the past five months, Karachi has contributed Rs1,110 billion to the national exchequer, marking a 20 percent increase from last year. Yet, the city that provides 42 percent of national taxes, 54 percent of exports and 96 percent of Sindh’s revenue, is denied its most basic right — water,” he stated.

He blamed the PPP government in Sindh for Karachi’s severe water shortages. He highlighted repeated leaks in main water supply lines and the incompetence surrounding the K4 water project. “The K4 project, initially planned for 650 million gallons water per day, was reduced to just 260 million gallons due to PPP’s ineptitude,” he blamed.

He also condemned the growing influence of the water tanker “mafia”, allegedly facilitated by Karachi’s water corporation. “A water tanker that costs Rs2,000 is now sold for Rs7,000, and the one priced at Rs4,000 has skyrocketed to Rs12,000,” he revealed, calling for an increase in Karachi’s water quota to curb the megacity’s reliance on tankers.

Zafar further linked the tanker “mafia” to deaths on the city’s roads, holding them accountable for 150 of the 750 road traffic fatalities this year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024