The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and the police, in a joint operation, have sealed an illegal water hydrant in Chakara Goth, Korangi, and arrested one suspect, Express News reported.
According to the spokesperson of the SSP Korangi, the operation was launched over complaints of severe water scarcity that Karachi was facing during the past few weeks.
The police, along with KWSB officials, shut down the illegal hydrant operating in Korangi Number One, and arrested Nauman, son of Munir Ahmed, who was allegedly involved in the illegal water business. Three other suspects—Rafiq, Abdullah Korijo, and Ahmed—managed to flee the scene, and efforts are underway to capture them.
A case has been registered against the arrested individual and the absconding suspects, and authorities are making efforts to apprehend the fugitives.
The water crisis in Karachi had escalated recently, prompting protests by local residents. On Saturday, members of the Jamaat-e-Islami party held protests at 15 locations around the city.
During the protests, enraged demonstrators opened the valves of water tankers passing through the NIPA and Hassan Square areas, wasting thousands of gallons of water.
The protesters expressed frustration over the lack of water supply to households, questioning why water mafia operations were still thriving.
Earleir this week, repair work on Karachi’s 84-inch water line, which had been disrupted for 17 days, was completed, restoring the city’s water supply.
The pipeline was damaged at two points during the construction of the Red Line project, leading to a significant water shortage.
As a result of the damage, over 4 billion gallons of water were lost, severely affecting Karachi’s water supply and leaving many residents struggling to meet their daily needs.
The rupture, which occurred on December 3, halted water distribution for eight days, with a loss of approximately 2.5 billion gallons.
During this period, several areas across Karachi experienced severe water shortages, with many going without water completely.