KARACHI: A Chinese company has expressed its willingness to construct a 100-kilometre K-IV water pipeline for Karachi, with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah directing officials to initiate work on the project as soon as possible.
Murad Ali Shah discussed the K-IV pipeline project during a visit to HBSZ Company in Hanyang, Wuhan, China. He also inspected gates being manufactured for the rehabilitation and modernisation of Sukkur Barrage.
Officials said the Chinese company had expressed readiness to undertake the 100-kilometre pipeline project, while the chief minister stressed the need to begin work at the earliest.
Sukkur Barrage rehabilitation progresses
The chief minister was also briefed on progress in the rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage, a project being carried out through cooperation between China Road and Bridge Corporation and HBSZ.
According to officials, 44 of the barrage’s 54 gates, which regulate river water flow, and their operating systems have been replaced and made operational. Repair work at the relevant locations has also been completed.
The remaining 10 gates have been manufactured and are expected to be transported from China to Pakistan soon. Chinese officials said each gate weighs more than 50 tonnes.
HBSZ is also manufacturing 110 canal gates for Sukkur Barrage. During the barrage’s closure in 2026, civil works and repairs to the internal components of 27 canal gates were completed, while six gauge wells for measuring water levels were built and handed over to the relevant authorities.
Officials said dredging and excavation had been completed across the barrage, while work on the tail channel remained outstanding and would be undertaken during the next working season. The building housing the gate manufacturing workshop has also been completed.
Barrage described as Sindh’s economic lifeline
Murad Ali Shah said Sukkur Barrage held immense importance for him and described it as the economic lifeline of Sindh.
He said the formal rehabilitation of the barrage after nearly 90 years had significantly improved water flow.
The rehabilitation project was launched on Feb. 24, 2023, and is scheduled for completion by June 30, 2027. The World Bank, the federal government and the Sindh government are providing financial support.
Rehabilitation work on Guddu Barrage is also underway under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project.
During his visit, the chief minister invited Chinese companies to invest in Sindh’s water resources, agriculture and infrastructure sectors. He also expressed interest in cooperation to develop crop varieties capable of withstanding the effects of climate change.
