KARACHI: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah have inaugurated the New Hub Canal, a project set to deliver an extra 100 million gallons of water per day (MGD) to Karachi.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bilawal said the new supply will improve water access for District Central, East, Keamari, and Lyari. He noted that the government is repairing the old Hub Canal and has prepared a PC-1 to send more water to Lyari. He added that work on a seawater desalination plant has started to further ease shortages.
Bilawal praised the teamwork between the Sindh government and local administrations, saying it is producing positive results for both Karachi and Hyderabad. Urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to support an increase in Karachi’s water quota, he remarked, “It cannot be that Lahore gets Shehbaz Speed, and Karachi gets Shehbaz Slow.”
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah called the New Hub Canal a major Independence Day gift for Karachi. He explained that the old canal struggled to carry even 60 MGD, but the new one can handle up to 130 MGD. “We built this canal on time and within budget—without any extra costs,” he said.
Murad Shah announced that the old canal will be fully restored by December, raising the city’s total capacity to 140 MGD. The government will also complete a 35 MGD industrial water treatment plant in September, freeing up more drinking water for households. He said that with the World Bank-backed K-IV project, Karachi could eventually get 550 MGD of water.
The New Hub Canal stretches 21.8 kilometres and features 11 aqueducts, 19 culverts, and four bridges. Phase II will restore the old canal, while upgrades to the Manghopir pumping station and filtration plant are also in progress.
By December, Murad Shah expects Karachi’s federal water quota to reach 200 MGD, benefiting areas like West Wharf, Keamari, and Central Karachi. Both leaders credited PPP’s planning for making the project possible and promised continued development for the city.
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