Key Takeaways
- Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) wrote a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif regarding Karachi's water crisis.
- The K-IV project is expected to supply 260 million gallons of water per day but faces delays due to funding issues.
- JI chief Monem Zafar called for immediate release of Rs40bn required for the project’s completion.
The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to release Rs40 billion immediately to ensure the timely completion of Karachi's K-IV water supply project, according to a letter sent to the prime minister. The K-IV project is designed to provide 260 million gallons of water per day to the city but faces significant delays due to insufficient funding.
JI-Karachi chief Monem Zafar highlighted that despite being one of Pakistan's largest cities and contributing significantly to national revenue, Karachi continues to face an acute water shortage. He stated that the project’s first phase is now scheduled for completion in December 2029, a timeline that has caused widespread concern among residents.
Zafar referred to a report presented before a National Assembly committee which indicated that only Rs3.2 billion was allocated for the K-IV project in the previous budget, while the current budget earmarks an additional Rs8 billion. He argued that this allocation is insufficient and reflects a lack of seriousness on the part of both federal and provincial governments.
The JI chief emphasized that Karachi requires at least 1,200 million gallons of water per day but currently receives only around 550 million gallons — less than half of its daily requirement. He pointed out that the last major water supply project completed for Karachi was K-III during the tenure of former city nazim Naimatullah Khan, which has been operational since then.
Zafar criticized both governments for their failure to ensure timely completion of the K-IV project. He stated that despite World Bank assistance, the Sindh government failed to complete the K-IV augmentation component, while the federal government allocated only a fraction of the required funds. The JI chief argued that this situation has forced Karachi residents to spend billions annually on private water tankers.
He stressed that had the K-IV project been completed on time, citizens could have spent the hundreds of billions of rupees paid to tanker businesses over the past two decades on education, healthcare, and food. Zafar called for immediate action from the federal government to release the remaining Rs40 billion required for the project’s completion.
The JI chief concluded by urging the prime minister to take urgent steps to address Karachi's water crisis, emphasizing that the city’s population of around 35 million is facing an acute shortage. He highlighted that the K-IV project, when completed, would significantly alleviate the current water scarcity issues faced by residents.
It is deeply unfortunate that more than half of the population of a city contributing over 50 per cent of the country’s revenue continues to lack access to adequate water.
Monem Zafar, JI-Karachi chief
