Karachi Housing Sector Crippled By Lack of Utilities

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KARACHI,  The Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) has warned that a severe governance failure is leaving thousands of new housing societies in Karachi uninhabited due to the absence of basic utilities, including water, electricity, and gas.

PDP Chairman Altaf Shakoor said on Sunday that billions of rupees have been invested in housing developments across the city, but many remain non-functional because essential facilities are missing. “Hundreds of thousands of houses and flats have been completed, but people cannot live in them without proper connections to water, power, and gas,” he stated.

The problem is most severe in suburban areas such as Gadap, Hawksbay, the Northern Bypass, Superhighway, and Surjani, where large housing settlements stand nearly deserted. Shakoor warned that without urgent government intervention, Karachi’s real estate sector risks a deeper crisis, which could erode investor confidence and undermine the city’s economic growth.

He pointed to Scheme 42 in Hawksbay as a symbol of neglect. Despite nearly two decades since its launch, the project under the Lyari Development Authority (LDA) has failed to deliver on its promises. According to Shakoor, corruption within the LDA has worsened the situation, leaving thousands of allottees in limbo. “People have invested their lifetime savings in these projects, and they are the real victims of poor governance and ineffective planning,” he added.

The PDP chairman urged the provincial government to ensure proper infrastructure is provided to these societies and called for the replacement of incompetent officials with capable officers. He noted that supplying utilities to these settlements would not only allow families to relocate but also help ease congestion in central Karachi, improving the city’s overall quality of life.

Shakoor also emphasized that developing suburban housing projects could help Karachi absorb its growing population more effectively while supporting economic growth. “If these areas are developed with basic amenities and public transport routes, they will provide relief to middle-class families and reduce the burden on overcrowded city centres,” he said.

Real estate analysts echo these concerns, arguing that Karachi’s housing sector cannot thrive without parallel investment in infrastructure. While private developers continue to launch ambitious projects, the lack of government-backed utilities risks turning many schemes into “ghost towns.”

With hundreds of thousands of residential units completed but unoccupied, stakeholders warn that Karachi’s property market could stagnate unless authorities act promptly to address the crisis.