The Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and police, in a joint operation, sealed an illegal water hydrant in Chakara Goth, Korangi, and arrested a suspect, Express News reported.
According to SSP spokesperson Korangi, the operation was launched following complaints about a severe water shortage the city was facing over the past few weeks.
The police, along with KWSB officials, closed the operating illegal fire hydrant at Korangi Number One and arrested Nauman, son of Munir Ahmed, who was allegedly involved in illegal water trade. Three other suspects – Rafiq, Abdullah Korijo and Ahmed – managed to flee the scene and efforts are underway to capture them.
A case has been filed against the arrested person and the suspects at large, and authorities are working to apprehend the fugitives.
Karachi’s water crisis has recently worsened, sparking protests from local residents. On Saturday, members of the Jamaat-e-Islami party staged protests in 15 locations across the city.
During the protests, enraged demonstrators opened the valves of water tankers passing through the NIPA and Hassan Square neighborhoods, wasting thousands of gallons of water.
Protesters expressed frustration over the lack of water supply to households, questioning why water mafia operations continue to thrive.
Earlier this week, repair work on Karachi’s 84-inch water pipeline, which had been disrupted for 17 days, was completed, restoring the city’s water supply.
The pipeline was damaged in two locations during construction of the Red Line project, leading to a significant water shortage.
As a result of the damage, more than 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, interrupted water distribution for eight days, resulting in a loss of approximately 2.5 billion gallons.
During this period, several areas of Karachi experienced severe water shortages, with many going completely without water.