Sindh CM Orders End to Karachi Water Shortage
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has ordered officials to end the Karachi water shortage by fixing leaks and cutting waste, rather than treating the crisis as a shortage that cannot be solved.
Chairing a meeting to review water availability on Tuesday, the chief minister told provincial authorities to prevent water wastage and improve irrigation efficiency. He said the problem lay in water lost on the way to homes and farms, and the fix lay in plugging those losses.
The centrepiece of the push is the lining of the K.B. Feeder and the K-IV project, which the chief minister ordered officials to fast-track. Both schemes aim to squeeze more water out of the system Karachi already has, instead of waiting for new supply alone.
Karachi water shortage blamed on leaks, not supply alone
Murad Ali Shah directed officials to assess the expected water savings from the feeder lining project and fold those numbers directly into future water planning. The message was plain: measure what the leaks cost the city, then plan around the savings.
Unlined canals and feeders lose large amounts of water to seepage before it reaches the city. Lining the K.B. Feeder should cut those losses and leave more water in the system for Karachi and Hyderabad, the two cities named in the directive.
The K-IV project, the long-delayed bulk water supply scheme for Karachi, forms the second half of the plan. It is meant to bring more water to the city from Keenjhar Lake, the main source that already supplies Karachi through canals.
Irrigation Department and KWSC told to work together
The chief minister also tightened the screws on the two agencies that have long blamed each other when taps run dry. He directed close coordination between the Irrigation Department and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, known as KWSC.
Both bodies must monitor reserves at Keenjhar Lake and lock in arrangements before the upcoming canal and Kotri Barrage closure. Canal closures, when water is stopped for maintenance, are the weeks when Karachi feels the shortage most, so the timing of the directive matters.
For a city that routinely loses water to ageing canals and unlined feeders, the order reframes the problem. It is not only about building new supply, but about keeping what already flows from slipping away along the way.
What the order means for Karachi and Hyderabad
Karachi’s water shortfall has been a standing complaint for years, and Hyderabad faces similar pressure on its supply. The chief minister’s order puts the focus on delivery rather than announcements, with named projects and a demand for measured savings.
Sindh has been pressing the federal government and lenders for water funding in recent months. The province’s World Bank portfolio stands at $3.85 billion, while the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has cleared Rs275 billion in water projects.
Water stress is not limited to the big cities. Tharparkar was declared drought-hit this year as crops failed, and a relief package for its farmers is being planned. A drinking water project in Sukkur shows the same problem reaching smaller cities.
Karachi’s strained infrastructure already costs the city business, and water shortages add to that burden for households and industry alike.
What happens next
Officials must now report back on the expected savings from the K.B. Feeder lining and on the pace of the K-IV project. The coordination between the Irrigation Department and KWSC will be tested when the canal and Kotri Barrage closure begins.
If the lining work delivers the savings the chief minister expects, Karachi and Hyderabad should see steadier supply without waiting years for new sources. If it stalls, the two cities will face the same dry taps when the canals close. ProPakistani reported the chief minister’s directive.
Frequently asked questions
What did the Sindh chief minister order?
He ordered officials to end the water shortage in Karachi and Hyderabad by preventing wastage, improving irrigation efficiency, lining the K.B. Feeder and fast-tracking the K-IV project.
What is the K.B. Feeder lining project?
It is work to line the K.B. Feeder canal so less water is lost to seepage on its way to Karachi, leaving more water available for the city.
What is the K-IV project?
K-IV is the long-delayed bulk water supply scheme meant to bring more water to Karachi from Keenjhar Lake, the city’s main water source.
Why must the Irrigation Department and KWSC coordinate?
Both bodies share responsibility for Karachi’s water, and the chief minister wants them to monitor Keenjhar Lake reserves together and prepare before the canal and Kotri Barrage closure.
When does the canal closure affect Karachi’s water?
Canal closures for maintenance stop or cut the flow of water to the city, which is when shortages are felt most, so arrangements must be locked in before the closure begins.
