KARACHI: The Jamaat-i-Islami has called for protest demonstrations at 10 major locations of the city on Monday against a deepening water crisis in the metropolis, ‘unjust’ water distribution, unethical water disconnection and the tanker mafia looting citizens of Karachi.

Addressing a press briefing, JI city chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced the schedule for the protest campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, he condemned the Pakistan Peoples Party government in Sindh and the mayor installed by the PPP for “cutting legitimate domestic water connections” in selected areas of the city in a “punishment for voting against the ruling party” on the pretext of a crackdown on illegal connections.

He claimed that the ‘selected’ mayor had targeted North Karachi, New Karachi and Surjani Town areas in a political vendetta against the area residents.

He further said the JI would expose the entire exercise and the ruling party and the selected mayor would have to answer for his ‘anti-people actions’.

The JI leader said, “The 15-year rule of the PPP in Sindh, its corruption and incompetency has resulted in the ongoing water crisis across the mega city.”

He further said that an acute shortage of water coupled with unjust distribution of water, and patronising of water theft and tanked mafi a had devastated lives of Karachiites.

He added that the JI was going to stage a strong protest against the government’s approach of cutting water connections of entire neighbourhoods.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2023