International ships may soon stop visiting Karachi port due to widespread pollution, Senate body told

The Senate's Standing Committee on Maritime Affairs was informed on Tuesday that international ships may soon stop visiting the Karachi seaport due to the rising amount of pollution in the coastal region.

In a briefing on the matter, the committee was told that Karachi receives around 500 million gallons of water every day and subsequently, an equal quantity of polluted water is dumped into the sea on a daily basis.

The Senate body was further told that the toxic waste of industries was also released into the sea without being treated.

The committee was informed that the rising amount of pollution would cause massive problems for the country and the health and well-being of its citizens if instant measures are not taken to fix the issue.

According to a survey conducted by United Nations, the dangerous levels of toxins and poison in the water around the coast of Karachi are causing great harm to marine life.

Last year, the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had been informed that around 472 million gallons of sewerage were being released into the sea on a daily basis.

It was said that around 275 million gallons of sewerage were released daily from Karachi Port, whereas another 136 million gallons was dumped by the upscale Defence Housing Authority.

Following the briefing, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar and all other relevant officials in the case were summoned by the committee.

Murad unhappy with Karachi's solid waste management

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said that while the process of cleaning Karachi has started, “all institutions have to extend their support to the solid waste management authority, so that they could perform to the best of their abilities."

CM Murad made these comments while presiding over a high-level meeting of Sindh Solid Waste Management Board here at CM House.