Summary

• In a scathing indictment of Karachi’s water department, the constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court expressed its exasperation with the city’s persistent water supply issues and directed the water department to supply water to the residents of Karachi directly through pipelines and not through water tankers.
• The court asked the superintendent of the KWC why the residents are not receiving water at their doorstep. “Mayor Sahib promised to supply water through pipelines,” the court observed, hinting at the difference between promises and reality.
• The court’s ruling to change from tanker water provision to direct water provision through pipelines sets a strong precedent, holding the Karachi Water Corporation accountable to the public.

Summary

• In a scathing indictment of Karachi’s water department, the constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court expressed its exasperation with the city’s persistent water supply issues and directed the water department to supply water to the residents of Karachi directly through pipelines and not through water tankers.
• The court asked the superintendent of the KWC why the residents are not receiving water at their doorstep. “Mayor Sahib promised to supply water through pipelines,” the court observed, hinting at the difference between promises and reality.
• The court’s ruling to change from tanker water provision to direct water provision through pipelines sets a strong precedent, holding the Karachi Water Corporation accountable to the public.

AI Generated Summary

In a scathing indictment of Karachi’s water department, the constitutional bench of the Sindh High Court expressed its exasperation with the city’s persistent water supply issues and directed the water department to supply water to the residents of Karachi directly through pipelines and not through water tankers.

During the hearing, which was initiated by a petition filed by a resident of Orangi Town, who claimed that his house never receives water, the Karachi Water Corporation (KWC) came under the scanner. The court asked the superintendent of the KWC why the residents are not receiving water at their doorstep.

“Mayor Sahib promised to supply water through pipelines,” the court observed, hinting at the difference between promises and reality. The lawyer for the KWC cited the old age of the pipelines and electricity load-shedding as reasons.

Justice Adnan Karim Memon was not impressed with the arguments. “Then install the pipelines. If need be, spend a little on the public. People should have water at their homes,” he said, exasperated with the authorities. He pointed out that water tankers are supplying water across the city, but the pipeline distribution system is not working properly, which means that water is available but is not being distributed properly.

The Superintendent alleged that tankers usually draw water from illegal water hydrants and that the water supply from the water source is limited. However, the court remained resolute: “Legal or illegal, the citizens must receive water. Stop depending on tankers and provide water through pipelines. We will take a strict view of this petition.”

Karachi has been facing a serious water crisis for a long time, with many areas in the city lacking basic water access. Mustafa Kamal, the former Karachi Mayor, has pointed out that “approximately 90% of the water in Karachi is being bought,” emphasizing the mismanagement of water resources and a strong bias towards private tanker services.

The directive from the High Court comes at a time when the public is at its most frustrated, with citizens demanding equal and just water provision. The court’s ruling is clear: water provision is a basic right, and the government cannot use excuses of infrastructure and bureaucratic red tape to deny this right to the people.

The court’s ruling to change from tanker water provision to direct water provision through pipelines sets a strong precedent, holding the Karachi Water Corporation accountable to the public. For the people, this ruling offers hope for consistent access to water at home, moving away from reliance on expensive and sporadic tanker deliveries.