KARACHI: Experts gathered to ponder over the causes and consequences of water shortage in Karachi and suggested the solutions at a seminar organised by the Institute of Business Management (IBM) on Monday.
Karachi Deputy Mayor Dr Arshad Vohra, Dr Shahida Wizarat, Dean of IBM’s College of Economics and Social Development (CESD) and Dr Ayesha Shaukat, political economist and assistant professor IBM, were present in the discussion.
Discussing the water shortage crisis in Karachi, Vohra said that there should be no water shortage in the city. “If all the water that the city receives is properly supplied to the consumers, it would take care of the demand. But the problem here is that between 40 and 50 per cent of the water is lost due to leakages in an old infrastructure and to theft.
Deputy mayor said that tanker system is one of the major factors causing the water supply trouble in the city. He further said that the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KW&SB) should be reformed.
Dr Shahida Wizarat blamed the system for the continuing water crisis faced by the city. Shahida said we are collectively suffering and we need to collectively adopt a broad-based, non-partisan solution to this problem. She lamented the bureaucratic structure of the KWSB that has highlighted rampant corruption and inefficiency in its day-to-day functioning.
Dr Ayesha Shaukat agreed with her fellow speakers and said blaming India for shortage of water is just an easy way out to escape reality. Ayesha said Pakistan has tremendous potential as a country and if its resources are utilised properly then it has the potential to easily become one of the most developed countries of the world. She said that the corruption is the biggest problem in the country that has plagued every walk of life.
