'Sale of water via tankers needs to end': SC tries to find solutions for Karachi's water woes
The Supreme Court on Sunday said that if the owners of water tankers in Karachi hold a strike, it is the court's responsibility to deal with the matter.
"If a strike is observed, we know how to deal with them," a three-judge bench of the apex court remarked referring to the water tanker owners. "It is our responsibility."
The bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, was hearing the constitutional petition filed by Shahab Usto, a concerned citizen and lawyer, at the apex court's Karachi registry. The case was filed against the provincial government’s failure to provide potable water, better sanitation, environment and associated issues.
In an unprecedented move, the chief justice had fixed the hearing of public welfare cases for Sunday at the Karachi Registry.
"Give me a deadline for when the matter of dirty drinking water will be resolved," the chief justice said during the hearing, while addressing Managing Director (MD) Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) Hashim Raza Zaidi.
Read: Lack of drinking water
"When will the sewerage water be treated and made available?" CJ Nisar asked. "Water is available in Karachi but is sold to the people through tankers."
Fahim Zaman, an activist and former administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, told the bench that 250 hydrants are operating in Karachi.
"No matter how old the lines, they can be repaired using modern technology in a short amount of time," he added.
"The solutions to these problems must be presented to us," the chief justice said. "The sale of water through tankers needs to end."
Karachi mayor promises to fully cooperate
Appearing before the court during Sunday's hearing, Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar said that there were a number of problems in the city of Karachi.