KARACHI: Opposition lawmakers criticised the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) and K-Electric over the ongoing acute water crisis in the city over the past 10 days and prolonged power outages during the Sindh Assembly session on Tuesday.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) member Abdul Waseem came down hard on the KWSC, the sole water utility of the metropolis, for failing to ensure a smooth water supply amid sizzling weather conditions.

He pointed out that the entire city, particularly the densely populated District Central, had been without a drop of water for the past 10 days after one of the main supply lines burst.

He said the damaged line was repaired, but it burst again due to a power breakdown. “People’s lives have become miserable due to the water crisis,” he added.

Besides, Mr Waseem said that the city had already been experiencing the worst gas shortages and power outages. “This sizzling weather is unbearable; people are living in ovens, and there is no fixed loadshedding schedule,” he added. He demanded that the city’s problems be resolved.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Parliamentary Leader Shabbir Qureshi vehemently criticised K-Electric (KE) for resorting to unannounced loadshedding lasting over 12 hours.

He said that the prolonged outages had severely affected students appearing in ongoing examinations.

MQM-P’s Nasir Ahmed from Hyderabad, raising a point of order, said that Preetabad Hospital lacked facilities and sarcastically remarked that after “Paris”, Hyderabad, dubbed “Japan”, was also in poor shape, with issues raised repeatedly but in vain.

MQM-P member Mahesh Kumar Hasija, on a point of order, praised Education Minister Sardar Shah for including textbooks for Hindu students in the curriculum and proposed adding books for the Christian community as well. He also stressed the need for teacher training.

The education minister said that Punjab had a curriculum for Christian students, and Sindh was considering whether to adopt it or develop its own. “The Christian curriculum is already being taught in private schools,” he added.

Meanwhile, no business of opposition members on the agenda on private members’ day could be taken up as Deputy Speaker Anthony Naveed abruptly adjourned the proceedings to Friday immediately after the points of order were raised by opposition members.

Responding to the lawmakers’ written and oral queries during Question Hour, Sindh Culture and Tourism Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said that 12 museums were currently operational in the province, with various facilities available for tourists and visitors.

He said that the World Bank president had recently visited Mohenjo-Daro.

He also invited opposition members to visit Mohenjo-Daro anytime, saying he would facilitate their tour.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2026