Daily Times

KARACHI: The Water Commission appointed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan was told on Monday that certain state agencies were making officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) supply water under duress to cantonment areas over and above their fair share.

The claim was made by KWSB managing director Khalid Sheikh, who said, “the hydrant at Shah Faisal Colony is shut down so that additional water can be supplied to the PAF base.”

Further, he maintained that the pumping station at Karsaz was operated in a similar manner.

The KWSB MD told the water commission that on Sunday a few armed men, reportedly belonging to a state agency, forced the KWSB staff to shut down the Shah Faisal Colony hydrant. His claim was corroborated by the pumping station in charge, Khalid Farooqi.

Farooqi also claimed that he was kidnapped by the armed men who took him on a drive during which they threatened him with dire consequences, and later released him.

Also on Monday, the water commission directed DHA Karachi to complete its three sewerage treatment plants within three to four months.

In its order, the Water Commission has directed the military-run housing authority to ensure that not a single drop of untreated sewage water is dumped into the sea by restaurants located near Seaview area.

The authority has been asked to lift untreated sewage water from septic tanks of restaurants through bowers at its own cost, and then discharge it into the seat through the treatment plant located in DHA phase-VIII.

During the hearing on Monday, Water Commission chairman Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim further asked the DHA to ensure that all sewage lines in Phase VIII of the housing scheme were connected with treatment plant within four months. “There are serious problems of sewage discharge and there are multiple problems of distribution of drinking water,” the commission observed.

DHA should connect sewerage lines of all restaurants with regular sewerage lines of phase-VI within two months, and submit compliance report, the commission directed.

On May 15, the commission had summoned the DHA secretary over release of untreated sewage into the sea from four points around Seaview beach after DHA officials did not turn up to with the original plan, as was demanded by SC.

Justice Muslim expressed extreme displeasure over absence of DHA secretary and said that if secretary was not available in the country, the additional secretary should come. He warned that the commission may file a reference in the Supreme Court for taking appropriate action against the secretary.

Justice Muslim said that besides four points, restaurants leased out and constructed on Seaview and Do Darya had no mechanism for lifting solid or liquid waste, which was also drained directly into sea.

Published in Daily Times, May 29^th 2018.