KARACHI: Viral videos circulating on social media, showing damages to the soon-to-be-inaugurated Hub Canal during testing on Tuesday, sparked controversy as authorities dismissed the content as “propaganda”, saying that the new water supply project would be launched as scheduled.

The videos emerged on different social media platforms claimed that the newly built structure was recently damaged twice during the testing.

The multi-billion-rupee project would improve Karachi’s water supply by rehabilitating the existing infrastructure and constructing a new 100 million gallons per day (MGD) canal from Hub Dam.

However, the chief of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) and Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab rejected the claims and vowed that the structure remained intact.

“Report circulating that the new Hub Canal has been damaged/destroyed due to faulty construction is incorrect & has been issued unfortunately without any verification,” Mayor Wahab posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“We will be inaugurating the new 100 MGD Hub Canal on 13th August 2025 as announced. There are some people who are not happy with development work being carried out & completed under the PPP leadership. However, such propaganda will not deter us in solving issues of the people of Karachi.”

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2025