Mayor Karachi rejects claim that 90% of residents buy drinking water
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has firmly rejected claims that 90 per cent of Karachi’s population purchases drinking water, stating that large parts of the metropolis continue to receive piped water supply around the clock.
Speaking on Geo News programme Capital Talk, the mayor said it was misleading to present Karachi as a city entirely dependent on tanker water, adding that several neighbourhoods receive uninterrupted water supply for 24 hours through pipelines.
Addressing the broader Karachi drinking water crisis, Murtaza Wahab acknowledged that the city faces serious water shortages but stressed that the issue is often exaggerated and politicised whenever Karachi is discussed at national forums.
He pointed out that Karachi receives only about half of its actual water requirement from the federal government, which remains a major challenge for city authorities. Despite this, he said, the provincial and local governments are making continuous efforts to manage supply and improve distribution.
The mayor also criticised past policy decisions, noting that coal-fired power plants were installed despite the availability of wind corridors, calling it an example of flawed planning that has long-term consequences for major cities like Karachi.
Murtaza Wahab said that whenever Karachi’s problems are raised, different stakeholders politicise the issue instead of focusing on sustainable solutions. He urged a collective approach to resolving the city’s infrastructure challenges, including water supply, sanitation and transport.
Highlighting fiscal realities, the mayor said the federal government collects approximately Rs16 trillion in revenue, of which Rs8.5 trillion is transferred to the provinces, while the remaining amount is largely consumed by debt servicing, limiting funds available for urban development.
His remarks come amid ongoing debate over water access in Pakistan’s largest city, where tanker mafias, ageing infrastructure and rapid population growth continue to strain the system, keeping the Karachi drinking water crisis at the centre of public concern.
