Patron-in-Chief Zubair Motiwala, President of SITE Association of Industry, Ahmed Azeem Alvi, Chief Coordinator Saleem Parekh, and APTPMA Regional Chairman Anwer Aziz have expressed much concern on precarious water supply position in SITE area because of less supply of water from KWSC to SITE Ltd through two direct connections and supposed to receive 8 MGD water daily basis.
The water supply has been curtailed or is being supplied at low pressure, as a result of which industries are compelled to receive a meagre supply of water through bowsers. The situation has become worse lately because of a reduction in subsoil water supply, resulting in the closure of factories. Due to a precarious shortage of water, all industries, especially export-oriented industries, are suffering huge losses and facing non-fulfilment of export orders, which puts the country’s reputation at stake.
In this era of intense global competition, the cost of production, which is already higher than that of regional competitors, has escalated manifold because industries are procuring water from the tanker mafia. Water shortage has crippled industrial and business activities.
An urgent joint meeting of Industrialists of SITE Association of Industry and All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association was held under the Chairmanship of M. Zubair Motiwala at SITE Association of Industry. A committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of Saleem Parekh to deal with water issues with the Federal and Sindh governments. Prominent among those present in the meeting were Zulfiqar Ali Chaudhary, M. Iqbal Arbi, M. Karman Arbi, M. Iqbal Lakhany, Altaf Shekhani and others.
Zubair Motiwala emphasised that water shortage will negatively impact the export target and foreign exchange earnings. He said that Karachi’s Industrial areas are paying 50% of the country’s taxes, but they continue to receive unfair treatment.
Anwer Aziz stated that 40% of Textile Processing Industries in Pakistan are located in the SITE Industrial Area, and water is the primary raw material for textile processing industries, especially those involved in value-added textiles. A paucity of water will lead to the complete closure of textile processing industries, resulting in massive unemployment and industrial unrest.
He added that the new tariff scenario, involving reciprocal tariffs, will also significantly affect Pakistan’s textile share in the US due to higher costs. He advised that the 90-day reprieve by President Trump should give stakeholders and the government the opportunity to revisit the deficiencies in the supply of continuous water, power, and gas. The curtailment of textile production will disrupt the production and shipment of final products.
He urged the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Chief Minister of Sindh, and the Minister of Industries for Sindh to immediately take cognisance of the crisis and depute teams to resolve the water issue in the SITE Area on an urgent basis.
