Want to live in DHA? Buy a boat!
• Flooding has been norm here since 2019, residents complain
• Water has been pumped out from most areas: CBC
KARACHI: The residents of most phases of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), especially those with basements, are looking upwards to the opened heavens and crying “enough”.
From puddles in the early hours to flowing streams, they are all afloat in rainwater along with pieces of their furniture. Those with bathrooms in their basements are getting a double dose of misery as sewage from underground gutter lines gushed out from their drains. The power remained out completely in some areas or there were one or two power phases down or showing very low voltage, which burned out electrical appliances in many homes.
It is difficult to say which phase was in the worst shape as each, save DHA Phase 1, Seaview and Darakhshan Townships, all other phases seemed worse than each other. It was said that DHA Phase 2 received 121 millimetres of rain till 5pm. Cars could be seen floating in the streets. Water also entered many shops. The situation wasn’t very different in other commercial areas such as Nishat Commercial, 26th Street, etc.
A resident on 26th Street said that there was a time when he used to think about taking an umbrella out with him when it used to rain. “Now I can only wish for a boat and oar. If not that then a nice 4x4 vehicle at least so that I don’t get stranded in my house with young children and aging parents with fragile health,” he said.
Commercial Avenue in Phase 4, with a big storm-water drain running in the middle and two new ones on the sides, filled up with water once again. Residents complained that they had to move to the first floor of their homes as the ground level was flooded.
Aamir Mughal, a resident of Phase 4, told Dawn that the situation in the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th commercial streets was no better. “We have moved our parents to the first floor. There is water inside the house. Thankfully the fridge and deep freezers are placed on stands so they are safe up till now, who knows how long that will last if it rains any further,” he said, adding that there was also no power in the area and they can’t expect it back any soon until the water level dropped because the electric poles were immersed and it was dangerous.
“We tried calling the Cantonment Board Clifton and DHA emergency numbers but no one is picking up. You tell me what they were doing for the past two years? All their newly built storm-water drains filled up again as soon as it rained. Flooding in DHA has become the norm since 2019. After that it happened in 2020, 2022 and now again in 2025,” the frustrated resident complained.
Another resident, Aamir Shafiq, of the same area, said that the CBC had dug up both sides of Commercial Avenue to put in extra drains besides the one already there in the middle of the road. “We can only curse,” he said.
Kamran Abbasi living off Khayaban-i-Ittehad in Phase 7 said, “The new rainwater drainage on inside roads had not taken in a single drop of water.”
Uzma Pirzada, a resident of Phase 8, shared her shock on social media about seeing flooding in
her area during the ongoing rain. “What are they doing in the name of digging the entire DHA? They made our lives miserable and made it even worse by spending our tax money. Shame on DHA!”
As always, Khayaban-i-Shujaat and Khayaban-i-Rahat turned into “Venice”. Many residents there were of the opinion that the rain drainage contactors and surveyors should be held accountable by the top management of the CBC and the DHA. Others said that the CBC and the DHA themselves were to be held accountable.
A CBC spokesperson said that their rain emergency teams were all out and working round the clock in the affected areas. “Our rain emergency cell will be working 24 hours. There are some 1,300 people busy pumping out water from the most flooded areas. There are some 150 dewatering pumps at work also,” the spokesperson said.
“There were over 30 badly flooded areas reported to the CBC and we have already successfully pumped out water from at least half of those areas. There was a wall in Phase 6 and 7 that was obstructing water from flowing outwards the sea, which we had to break down. Water is draining from there too now. Many residents are also appreciating our efforts,” the spokesperson added.
The CEO of CBC, Malik Omar Farooq Ali, also requested residents not to panic, saying that it looked like a repeat of 2020 and 2022 rains.
“When you plan or build storm-water drains you are planning it for average rain. But going beyond average changes things. There are some 200 dewatering pumps deployed but then where do they drain water when you have water all around. All across the globe, too much rainfall makes all plans and practices fail seemingly. But the CBC is working in its full capacity. I have not let anyone sit back. All our helplines are open. We are trying to bring relief to people as somewhere there are also cars and motorbikes stuck. My request to residents is to also help each other where they can and also support our efforts in this testing time,” he said.
Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2025