THATTA: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has directed officials to speed up work on the K-IV water supply project and set December 2026 as the new deadline for its completion. He said the project is very important to solve Karachi’s long-standing water shortage.
During a visit to the project site near Thatta, the minister reviewed progress on the delayed scheme and said the federal government is fully committed to completing it on time.
The K-IV project aims to provide 260 million gallons per day (MGD) of water to Karachi.
Officials told the minister that the project cost has increased from Rs120 billion to Rs170 billion due to changes in the plan and rising prices. Mr Iqbal said the federal government will pay the full revised cost.
“Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan, and meeting its basic needs is a top priority for the federal government,” he said, adding that he visited the site on the instructions of the prime minister.
ALSO READ
Ramadan 2026: PMD says moon sighting likely on February 18
Mr Iqbal expressed satisfaction with the work done by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) but stressed that construction must be further accelerated to meet the new deadline.
Under the project plan, Wapda is responsible for bulk water supply and canal lining to reduce water loss, while the Sindh government will manage water distribution within Karachi.
The minister also spoke about other major development projects. He said an agreement has been signed with the Islamic Development Bank to finance the Karachi–Hyderabad–Sukkur Motorway, and the foundation stone will be laid soon.
ALSO READ
K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi steps down; new chief to be appointed soon
He added that a committee headed by the prime minister is reviewing the net metering policy and will present its recommendations shortly.
Referring to the Thar coal project, Mr Iqbal called it a successful example of cooperation between the federal and provincial governments.
Provincial Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and senior officials were also present during the visit.
