KARACHI – The K-IV water supply project, meant to address Karachi’s longstanding water shortages, has suffered a major blow as the federal government allocated just Rs3.2 billion for fiscal year 2025–26—far short of the Rs40 billion estimated requirement for completion, reported Dawn.
Officials associated with the project, which has been delayed for over two decades, warned that the underfunding may push the timeline back by another decade. “Over 63% of the work is already complete, and with adequate funding, we could finish within a year,” said a senior project official. “But with this allocation, we might need ten more years. That’s devastating for a city facing a water crisis.”
Launched in the early 2000s, the K-IV project has repeatedly suffered from cost escalations, design changes, and coordination issues between the federal and provincial governments. Despite renewed federal attention during previous years, this year’s allocation has cast a shadow over any near-term resolution.
The water supply crisis remains one of Karachi’s most urgent infrastructure problems, affecting over 20 million residents. Experts argue the delay in K-IV is not just a bureaucratic issue, but a public emergency. “Karachi can’t wait another decade,” warned one stakeholder. “This isn’t just about pipelines—it’s about survival.”
Former federal minister Asad Umar, who oversaw the project from 2018 to 2022 under the PTI government, criticised the current federal allocation as evidence of a lack of political will. “The Rs 3.2 bn allocation suggests the government isn’t serious,” he said. “It’s a political gesture, not a development initiative. We had momentum and a launch date—August 14, 2023. Now that vision is gone.”
Umar had previously advocated for the federal government to assume full financial responsibility, removing the cost-sharing burden on the Sindh government and placing WAPDA in charge of execution.
Political friction between the PPP-led Sindh government and its federal allies also surfaced following the announcement. Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon expressed strong reservations about the allocation and warned of a broader reassessment of the federal budget.
“We are taking this very seriously,” Memon said. “Not only the K-IV, but the broader pattern of underfunding essential projects concerns us. We’ve advised the prime minister to cut unnecessary expenses and focus on meaningful development.”
Meanwhile, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) leader Monem Zafar also condemned the decision, accusing the federal government of reducing Karachi’s most urgent infrastructure project to a symbolic gesture. “Out of Rs133 billion allocated to the Water Resources Division, only Rs3.2 billion is for K-IV—just 2.5%,” he said. “This is not development. This is charity.”
Both PPP and JI demanded a reassessment of priorities and urged the federal government to allocate resources in line with the city’s critical needs. As budget deliberations continue, the fate of the K-IV project now hangs in the balance, again postponed amid competing claims and constrained public finance.
