President Asif Ali Zardari has called for a comprehensive plan to prevent urban flooding in Karachi amid rain forecasts by the Met Office.

While presiding over a meeting held at the President’s House on Monday, Zardari stressed the need for the Sindh government to adopt a sustainable and long-term strategy, drawing from international best practices, to effectively manage the city’s sewage and stormwater systems.

The recent monsoon rains have exposed the city’s vulnerabilities, with Karachi submerging in water even after receiving light showers. The tragic deaths of two minor boys in separate incidents underscored the urgency of the situation.

Last week, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) to conduct a master-plan study within six months to address the root causes of urban flooding, including clogged drains, lack of adequate outfall infrastructure, and the proliferation of squatter settlements and encroachments.

The meeting, attended by the Sindh CM, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, provincial ministers, senior government and military officials, as well as local and international water management experts, focused on promoting sustainable water resource development in the city.

Officials presented President Zardari with a comprehensive report by international water and sewage management experts, who proposed various solutions to address the challenges of urban flooding and sewage management in Karachi. Such solutions drew inspiration from successful projects, such as the tunnel sewer systems of Washington DC, the London super sewer project, and Singapore’s deep tunnel sewerage system.

While emphasizing the need for immediate action, Zardari underlined the importance of completing a feasibility study within the next three months to explore the potential of tunneling options as a means of controlling flooding in Karachi.

He stressed that Karachi and its coastal areas must be “made clean and brought at par with” other major metropolitan cities around the world.

Furthermore, the president directed the Sindh government to approach international donors to seek environmental financing for the proposed project, given its significant environmental implications and the need for sustainable development in the city.

He said the wastewater treatment system construction would also help supply treated water to Balochistan for agriculture, besides promoting the fisheries sector.