The Jamaat-e-Islami’s local government representatives from Orangi Town have filed a petition with the Sindh High Court (SHC) against an acute and prolonged water crisis affecting a majority of the locality’s residents.
Hashir Umar and Zahid Iqbal said in their petition that more than half of Orangi Town’s population is left without regular water supply, forcing residents to endure severe hardships.
They said that the water quota allocated from the pumping station is insufficient, with the supply restricted to only five hours. In many neighbourhoods, they added, residents receive water only after intervals of 30 to 45 days.
They also said that among 14 to 16 valves, each is supplied water for around 90 minutes, adding that once one valve’s turn is completed, the next cycle in some cases comes only after six or seven months.
The petitioners said households remain deprived of piped supply, and water tankers continue to operate, pointing to possible administrative failure, illegal hydrants and corruption. Middle-income households are unable to bear the rising cost of water tankers, which has been aggravating their sufferings, they added.
They said that access to water is a fundamental right that is protected under the Constitution, while the state is bound to ensure equitable supply.
The crisis is rooted not only in scarcity but also in defective planning, unauthorised connections and the failure of the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation as well as the city mayor in his capacity as the utility’s chairman to effectively discharge their responsibilities, they added.
They requested the SHC to direct the relevant authorities to enhance the water quota from five hours to at least 32 hours, and shorten the supply cycle from 45 days to 15 days.
