JI Karachi chief pens letter to PM Shehbaz, urges Rs40bn allocation for K-IV

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi chief, Munem Zafar Khan, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging the immediate allocation of Rs40 billion for the K-IV water supply project to tackle Karachi’s worsening water crisis.

The Greater Karachi Bulk Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) is a major infrastructure initiative designed to augment the city’s water supply by sourcing water from Keenjhar Lake. Jointly overseen by the federal and provincial governments, the project aims to supply 650 million gallons of water per day to Karachi in three phases.

“The city’s population of 35 million is facing an acute water shortage,” Munem Zafar stated. He criticized the federal government for allocating only Rs3.2 billion for the project in the federal budget, calling it “grossly inadequate and unfair.”

He noted that Karachi requires 1,200 million gallons of water daily but receives just 650 million gallons that is far short of demand. He warned that shelving or stalling the K-IV project would be a grave injustice to the metropolis.

The JI chief also reminded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of his promise to transform Karachi into a “Paris,” saying, “Now is the time to fulfill that commitment.”

“No major water project has been completed since K-III,” he said, highlighting that the PC-II for K-IV was approved as far back as 2003.

He concluded by stressing that Karachi- Pakistan’s largest tax-contributing city – deserves urgent and serious investment in critical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, THE Large Taxpayers Office (LTO) Karachi has set a new milestone by collecting a record Rs3,256 billion in taxes in the fiscal year 2024–25, marking the highest tax revenue collection in the country for the financial year.

According to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the LTO Karachi showcased outstanding performance, including a remarkable single-day collection of Rs184.78 billion—setting a new national record.

In June 2025 alone, LTO Karachi collected Rs449.05 billion in taxes, reflecting a 48% increase compared to June 2024.

The achievement was made under the leadership of the Chief Commissioner, with LTO Karachi surpassing all previous tax collection records.

Overall, the LTO Karachi recorded a 29% year-on-year increase in tax revenue for FY2024–25, highlighting its position as the top-performing tax office in the country.