Citizens protest against what is being built ‘in secret’ at Karachi's Nehr-i-Khayam

Karachi residents, including Clifton Block 5 Residents Association, Clifton Defence Community, and Karachi Residents’ Community (District South), gathered at the Nehr-i-Khayam construction site on Sunday to protest the building of a commercial belt. Protesters held up placards demanding transparency, such as 'Violation of Supreme Court orders', 'No food street on Nehr-i-Khayam', 'Don’t suffocate our waterways', and 'Narrow drain equals massive flood'.

Environmentalist Masood Lohar highlighted the importance of Nehr-i-Khayam as a natural link between Obhayo Lagoon and Gizri Creek, warning of potential floods and storms if tampered with. Members of Karachi Residents’ Community (District South) emphasized that Nehr-i-Khayam is a vital lung of the Clifton area, intended to carry rain and tidal water, not sewage, into the open sea.

Protesters demanded an immediate halt to the construction, which would narrow and alter the channel and its banks. The gathering also raised concerns about the lack of public project information, improper drainage, and the encroachment of commercial development in a residential area.