Referring to an interview of Chairman PSP Syed Mustafa Kamal for ‘Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Saath’ broadcasted on May 3, 2017, Zubair Motiwala and President Site Association of Industry (SAI) Asad Nisar Barkhurdaria expressed sheer disappointment and strongly condemned the make-believe remarks against industrialists of Site Industrial area as the Chairman PSP accused all of them of stealing water of Karachiites.
In a joint statement issued by Zubair Motiwala and SAI President said that it is totally absurd on part of Mustafa Kamal to accuse the respectable industrialists of Site area for water theft and try to question the integrity of Chairman Businessmen Group Siraj Kassam Teli, which the entire business and industrial community of Karachi strongly deplores.
They said that the recent tirade of Mustafa Kamal in Kamran Khan’s show against the industrialists of SITE is completely illogical, inaccurate, unfounded, biased and regrettable. This depicts a deliberate attempt on his part to malign the business environment of the city and compromise the future industrialisation of this area.
Asad Barkhurdaria said that the senseless remarks by Mustafa Kamal on a live TV talk show are not factual at all as all the industrialists of Site area have been using underground sub-soil water for industrial consumption since the last 40 years. SAI president further said that it is surprising to note that even during Mustafa Kamal’s tenure as Mayor, the industries of Site area were using sub-soil water through these pipelines network, and private contractors existed the same way back in his tenure as Mayor as they do now. “If the industrialists were really stealing water through these water pipelines since long, why did Mustafa Kamal fail to take action, particularly at a time when he was one of the most powerful Mayor and KWSB was completely operating under his control,” he added.
Zubair Motiwala added that since Mustafa Kamal being the former mayor, he should have unfolded the mysteries behind the scarcity of water. Who benefits from this? Why did he not name the people involved? What are the statistics of the money being spun off from this? Where is it being syphoned off to? Who controls the water in this city? Was he himself involved in this by some affiliation as well? What is the role of the law enforcement agencies in limiting this menace? What is the volume stolen? Who controls the rates of water sold? How does the system work? These are the real eye-openers the public wants him to reveal. These are facts to which he is privy to. If he wants to help alleviate the water problems of this city and has the pain of the masses, he should contribute his air time to answer these questions. However, it’s apparent he either lacks the knowledge or doesn’t have the courage to state the facts. We shall be highly obliged to him if he comes on air again in the program and gives us the answers to these questions
“Chief Minister Sindh, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), relevant ministers, Rangers and other law enforcing agencies are all well-aware of how industrial units in Site and other industrial zones extract and consume underground sub-soil water for industrial usage which is not drinkable and cannot be supplied to the general public. A huge expenditure for this system of supply and investment in reverse osmosis is in place. Even Mustafa Kamal, who was the Mayor of Karachi from October 2005 to February 2010, must also be aware of the same, yet it is really disturbing to hear such statements by Chairman PSP which is hard to accept.
They informed that industries in Site area have been hardly receiving around 2 to 3 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from KWSB against the demand of 45 MGDs. Due to severe water scarcity, the industrialists are left with no other option but to extract and use underground sub-soil water, which is being done since the last 40 years.
Zubair Motiwala and Asad Barkhurdaria urged PSP chairman to refrain from giving such misleading remarks against the business and industrial community of Karachi and must not attempt to tarnish the image of legitimate businessmen and industrialists like Siraj Kassam Teli; who has dedicated his entire life and continues to strive hard with all his sincerity for the rights of the business and industrial community of Karachi. “If Mustafa Kamal wants to gain some political mileage by damaging the integrity of respectable businessmen and industrialists, then he should know that we; the business and industrial community will not take it lying down,” he added.
