ISLAMABAD: Federal Mini­ster for Planning, Develop­ment and Reform and Special Initiatives Asad Umar on Friday emphasised the need for short and midterm options to ensure water supply for Karachi on an urgent basis.

The minister chaired a meeting convened to discuss the interventions aimed at addressing the water issue of the metropolis, said a statement issued by the ministry for planning, development and reform.

The current status of the K-IV water supply project was also reviewed during the meeting.

Planning Secretary Zafar Hasan, chairperson of the P&D Board Sindh Naheed S. Durrani and senior officials of the federal and provincial governments attended the meeting.

The minister said that the federal government would continue to work with the provincial government to resolve the issues of provision of clean drinking water to residents of Karachi and every possible help would be extended in this regard.

He added that a robust strategy was required to permanently resolve the issue of water shortage in the cosmopolitan city.

Ms Durrani gave a detailed account of the K-IV project and the Sindh government’s efforts to take the scheme forward.

She said they were working on different options to increase the bulk water supply to the city so that its domestic as well as industrial requirements could be met.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2019