KARACHI, May 23: The protest against water shortage crisis in Lyari by the elected local bodies members entered second phase on Thursday when all Nazims and Naib Nazims of the 11 union councils closed their offices.

The first phase of the protest ended on Wednesday when the offices of Lyari Town remained closed for the third day as a mark of protest against the acute water shortage in the town.

Water pipelines in the most of the localities in the town dried up, aggravating the miseries of the people.

Earlier, a number of protest rallies were held in the town by residents to register their protest against water shortage, but the KWSB did not pay a heed to the sufferings of the people.

In a press conference held here on Thursday, Town Nazim Khaliq Juma criticized the indifferent attitude of the authorities for ignoring the plight of residents of Lyari who are faced with an acute water shortage.

Khaliq Juma deplored the statement by chief engineer (Water) KSWB who had termed the protests by elected representatives a political stunt and added that if authorities did not pay a heed to their grievances, they would resign from their respective offices in the third phase of the protest drive.

All the offices of 11 UCs of Lyari Town, including Agra Taj, Daryabad, Nawabad, Khadda Memon Society, Baghdadi, Shah Beg Lane, Behar Colony, Rangi Wara, Singo Lane Chaki Wara and Allama Iqbal Colony will stop functioning from Thursday due to protest drive.