KARACHI (HRNW): In a major move to secure basic rights for the citizens, elected representatives of Jamaat-e-Islami have approached the Sindh High Court, filing a formal petition against the acute water crisis plaguing Orangi Town. The petition, moved by UC-6 Chairman Hashir Umar and Zahid Iqbal, highlights the misery of over half the population of Orangi, who are currently deprived of even a drop of potable water.
The petitioners, represented by Advocate Usman Farooq, informed the court that the provincial government, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, and the Mayor of Karachi have fundamentally failed in their constitutional duty to provide water. They argued that while residential taps remain dry, the tanker mafia seems to have an unlimited supply, leaving the middle class—who cannot afford expensive private tankers—in a state of severe mental and physical agony.
According to the details shared in the petition, the water quota from the Bewa Pumping Station is shockingly insufficient, with water being supplied for only five hours at intervals of 30 to 45 days. In some sectors, once a valve is closed, it takes six to seven months for the turn to come around again. The petitioners have requested the court to direct the authorities to increase the water quota to at least 32 hours and reduce the supply duration to once every 15 days.
Advocate Usman Farooq maintained that the crisis is not merely a matter of scarcity but a result of criminal mismanagement, illegal hydrants, and unauthorized connections that siphon off the city’s share. He pointed out that despite living in close proximity to the dam, the residents of Orangi are being punished through administrative failure. The court has been urged to intervene immediately to restore the fundamental right to water for the millions of residents in the area, as multiple pleas to the Mayor and Water Board have previously fallen on deaf ears.
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