KARACHI, December 22, 2024 — In a joint operation, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and local police have successfully sealed an illegal water hydrant in Chakara Goth, Korangi, and arrested one suspect involved in the illicit water business.
According to the spokesperson for the SSP Korangi, the operation was prompted by widespread complaints regarding severe water scarcity that Karachi residents have been facing in recent weeks.
The operation targeted the illegal hydrant operating in Korangi Number One, where Nauman, son of Munir Ahmed, was arrested. He is suspected of being involved in the illegal water trade. However, three other suspects—Rafiq, Abdullah Korijo, and Ahmed—managed to flee the scene, and authorities are actively working to capture them.
A case has been registered against Nauman and the absconding suspects, with authorities intensifying efforts to apprehend the fugitives.
The ongoing water crisis in Karachi has sparked protests, with residents growing increasingly frustrated by the persistent shortages. On Saturday, members of the Jamaat-e-Islami party staged protests at 15 locations across the city. Demonstrators, in an act of protest, opened the valves of water tankers passing through the NIPA and Hassan Square areas, wasting thousands of gallons of water. They voiced their anger over the lack of consistent water supply, questioning the persistence of the water mafia’s operations.
Earlier this week, the city’s 84-inch water line, which had been out of service for 17 days, was repaired, restoring some relief to the water-starved city. The damage to the pipeline occurred during the construction of the Red Line project, leading to significant water shortages and losses of over 4 billion gallons of water. The rupture, which happened on December 3, halted water distribution for eight days, leaving several Karachi neighborhoods without water altogether.
