KARACHI: As 2025 ends, Pakistan’s largest city remains burdened with unfinished infrastructure, as no major development project under federal or provincial supervision has been fully completed.
Several projects launched up to eight years ago remain incomplete, partially executed, or stalled, and some inaugurated initiatives have yet to deliver public benefits.
Karachi’s long-standing water shortage continues. The city needs about 1,200 million gallons per day (MGD) but receives only 650 MGD from the Indus River and Hub Dam, leaving a daily shortfall of 550 MGD. Two major water supply projects launched in 2016 remain incomplete, while a 2024 project, though technically finished, has failed to provide meaningful relief due to poor planning.
The 260 MGD K-IV project, halted in 2018, was restarted by WAPDA in 2022 after redesign. Only 65 percent of the work is complete, with three additional components under the Sindh government scheduled for completion by 2027, one of which has not yet started. Another 65 MGD project has stalled for seven years, with just 15 percent completed.
Mass transit projects have also faced delays. Green Line Phase-II resumed two months ago after a three-year delay and is expected to finish within a year. The Orange Line BRT, completed four years ago, has yet to attract significant ridership. The Yellow Line BRT, started in 2024 with World Bank support, has reached 13 percent completion and is scheduled for 2028.
Two major sewage projects, including the Combined Effluent Treatment Plant, have been stalled for nearly two decades. Originally planned in 2018, it is now proposed under a public-private partnership model.
Despite repeated announcements and revised timelines, Karachi continues to face critical shortages in water, transport, and sewage infrastructure, leaving residents to contend with the city’s long-standing challenges.
