Severe water shortage triggers an alarm among manufacturers
KARACHI: A severe water shortage is gripping Karachi's key industrial areas, sparking alarm among manufacturers as production slows and the country's export capacity faces potential disruption.
Industries in major areas, including the Federal B Area industrial area are reporting a drastic drop in water availability both through the sub-soil system and commercial water tankers. The concerned department disconnected sub-soil connections whereas the restricted day timings for the movement of water tankers reduced the supply of water to industrial units substantially.
'The shortage is not just inconvenient it's crippling,' said President Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industries (FBATI) Shaikh Muhammad Tesheen. 'Industries cannot function properly without a stable water supply. If this situation continues, it will directly impact production timelines, delay international shipments, and put Pakistan's export reliability at risk.'
Industries involved in textiles, leather, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and other high-water-consumption sectors are already reporting scaled-down operations. Export orders worth millions of dollars are potentially on the line, jeopardizing foreign exchange earnings at a critical time for Pakistan's economy.
'Water is the backbone of our industrial production. We strongly urge the provincial and federal governments to address this crisis without delay,' added the FBATI President. 'This is not just an industrial issue — it is a national economic concern.'
The Federal B Areas Associations of Trade & Industry (FBATI) has raised serious concerns over the declining water supply, urging immediate government intervention to avert a full-blown industrial crisis. Over 70 percent of industries in Federal B areas are exporters directly and indirectly, Tehseen further said.
He warns that continued neglect of this issue could have far-reaching consequences, not only for industrial performance but also for employment and investor confidence.
President FBATI has recommended short-term emergency measures, including prioritized water supply to industrial zones and regulatory action to monitor and improve tanker operations. In the longer term, the association advocates for investments in sustainable industrial water infrastructure, including recycling and desalination projects.
He appealed to CM Murad Ali Shah and Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab to resolve the issues of industries in Karachi immediately.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
KCCI appreciates Mayor Karachi, Sindh govt for cleanliness
KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, has extended heartfelt appreciation to Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab and the Sindh Government for their commendable efforts in ensuring exemplary cleanliness across the city during Eid ul Azha by swiftly and effectively disposing of sacrificial animal offal and waste. President KCCI stated, 'The Karachi Chamber highly appreciates the proactive approach and well-coordinated sanitation operations carried out by Mayor Karachi and the relevant departments of the Sindh Government. The timely clearance of offal and animal waste, despite the huge volume of sacrifices, has significantly contributed to maintaining public hygiene, protecting the environment, and ensuring the comfort of citizens throughout the Eid holidays.' Muhammad Jawed Bilwani noted that in previous years, Karachi had witnessed serious challenges in waste disposal during Eid ul Azha, leading to health hazards, foul stench, and a deteriorated urban environment. 'However, this year, the visible improvement in planning, execution, and monitoring of the sanitation drive is praiseworthy and deserves full recognition. The city remained clean, with no major complaints from any district, this is a first in many years,' he added. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
5 days ago
- Business Recorder
FCCI urges govt to protect environment
FAISALABAD: 'Environment Protection has emerged as one of the most critical issues after economy and defence and government in collaboration with the private sector must play pivotal role to save the environment on a sustained basis,' said Rehan Naseem Bharara, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI). Addressing a function on World Environment Day, he appreciated the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz and Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, and said that tangible results could be achieved to reduce and ultimately eliminate the excessive use of plastic in the province. The topic of the seminar was 'Zero Plastic, Zero Pollution'. He lauded the environment-related legislation and said that implementation on it is equally important to protect this only known living planet for coming generations. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
7 days ago
- Business Recorder
KCCI urges govt to re-evaluate its energy procurement & pricing strategies
KARACHI: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI), Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, has called upon the government to urgently re-evaluate its energy procurement and pricing strategies to safeguard Pakistan's industrial sector and support economic growth. Bilwani emphasized the need to continue purchasing Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) under existing agreement with Qatar but suggested that it be sold to industries at a reduced rate. The pricing gap, he proposed, can be bridged by supplying indigenous gas to captive power plants at lower rates. This, in turn, would ensure sufficient gas supply to industries at affordable rates, enhance productivity, create employment opportunities and prove favourable for the economy. Bilwani highlighted that the import of RLNG, via six vessels per month, costs the country approximately Rs50.5 billion monthly. He proposed that this gas be provided to industries at Rs40 billion, while the remaining Rs10.5 billion be offset through the supply of locally available lower-cost gas. 'The current energy pricing structure is unsustainable for our industries,' he said. 'With soaring energy tariffs, elevated taxes, and high interest rates, our industries cannot compete effectively on the international stage.' He warned that suspending the supply of 400 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of indigenous gas to regions under the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), including Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while relying more on expensive RLNG, poses a serious threat to the industrial sector and the national economy. Bilwani stressed the urgent need to foster an enabling environment to promote industrial growth and enhance exports. He noted that due to the sharp rise in gas tariffs, many industrialists have been forced to revert to biomass sources like rice husk, mustard, sunflower, maize waste, and even cow dung to generate steam, finding it more economical than using industrial gas connections. 'Pakistan currently has among the highest industrial gas rates globally,' Bilwani said. 'It's unfortunate that, to deal with load-shedding and erratic electricity supply, the government itself advised industrialists to invest in captive power plants. Following this advice, businesses spent billions on gas generators, boilers for waste heat recovery, and chillers that utilized jacket water to produce free steam and cooling. All of these installations are now rendered ineffective and financially wasteful.' Bilwani also criticized the government's over reliance on International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions, stating that such policies are being used to justify decisions that severely harm the industrial base. He urged for meaningful consultation with stakeholders to devise balanced, sustainable energy strategies that consider both fiscal constraints and industrial needs. 'We need a clear roadmap that prioritizes the viability of our industrial sector,' he asserted. 'It's time to move beyond temporary fixes and focus on long-term, strategic planning that ensures economic stability and global competitiveness.' Bilwani concluded by stressing that expecting industries to compete internationally while being burdened with the most expensive energy, excessive taxes, and high interest rates is simply unrealistic. 'If the government or the Prime Minister wants us to compete globally, they must first provide a conducive environment,' he said. 'In the current scenario, I cannot understand how industries are expected to survive let alone thrive.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
