KARACHI, the country’s largest city and the economic hub, has been facing a severe water crisis for years. The city’s outdated and deteriorating water supply network can no longer meet the needs of its growing population. As a result, people are forced to purchase water through tankers at exorbitant prices, often exceeding Rs6,000 to Rs7,000 per tanker, for a basic necessity that should reach their homes through the public water system.

The K-IV water supply project, launched in 2011 at an estimated cost of Rs25.5 billion as a joint federal and Sindh government initiative, was intended to provide Karachi with approximately 650 million gallons of water per day from Keenjhar Lake after treatment.

However, years of delays have left the project incomplete, while its estimated cost has reportedly risen to more than Rs150 billion.

In 2020, the project was handed over to Wapda, which planned to complete it within two years. It remains unfinished to date. More importantly, even the completion of K-IV will not fully resolve the crisis unless Karachi’s ageing water distribution network is also replaced and expanded.

The people of Karachi have endured this situation for far too long. They need action, not promises. The federal and Sindh governments must ensure the immediate completion of K-IV project and simulta- neously undertake a comprehensive overhaul of the city’s water supply system.

Ahsan ul Haque
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2026