KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) expressed severe indignation at the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) over the city’s persistent water crisis, questioning why water is readily available through tankers but absent in pipelines. During a hearing by the SHC constitutional bench regarding a petition filed by an Orangi Town resident, the court lambasted officials for failing to provide basic utility to citizens. Justice Adnan Karim Memon directed his frustration at the KWSC Superintendent, reminding the court of the Mayor’s previous commitment to prioritize pipeline supply.
Justice Memon questioned how tankers manage to supply the entire city if there is a genuine water shortage. “If tankers can get water, why can’t the pipes?” the court remarked, suggesting that water is available but being diverted. When the KWSC counsel, Masroor Ahmed, cited “old pipelines” and “load shedding” as hurdles, the court responded sharply: “Then build new lines; spend some resources on the public.” In response to claims that tankers often source water from illegal hydrants, the court maintained that the legality of the source is irrelevant to the citizen’s right—the state must ensure water reaches homes.
The bench warned of a “stern decision” regarding the petition, ordering the Water Corporation to immediately ensure water supply to the petitioner’s residence and move toward dismantling the “tanker-only” culture in Karachi.
