Karachi Housing Sector Hampered by Utility Shortages, Leaving Thousands of Homes Vacant

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KARACHI, Karachi’s housing sector is facing a serious crisis as thousands of newly constructed homes and housing societies remain uninhabited due to a lack of basic utilities, including water, electricity, and gas. Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor highlighted the issue on Sunday, warning that the shortage of essential services is undermining investment in the city’s housing projects.

Shakoor said billions of rupees from citizens have been invested in new housing societies, yet hundreds of thousands of houses and flats are left unoccupied because residents cannot access fundamental amenities. “People have spent their lifetime savings on these homes, but they remain uninhabitable due to inadequate planning and lack of services,” he said.

The problem is particularly severe in suburban areas of Karachi, including Gadap, Hawksbay, Northern Bypass, Superhighway, and Surjani. These regions have seen significant housing development in recent years, but the absence of water, electricity, gas, and public transport has left many projects incomplete in practical terms. Shakoor stressed that urgent government intervention is needed to connect these settlements to essential utilities and ensure residents can move in.

He cited Scheme 42 in Hawksbay as a prime example of neglect. Launched nearly two decades ago, the scheme has still not been fully developed, leaving thousands of allottees in uncertainty. According to Shakoor, the Lyari Development Authority (LDA), responsible for the project, has been marred by corruption and mismanagement. He demanded that senior officials of the LDA be removed and replaced with honest and competent officers to expedite development.

“The poor allottees of Scheme 42 are victims of ineffective governance,” Shakoor said. “These citizens deserve to occupy the homes they invested in, and the authorities must act swiftly to provide utilities and other necessary services.”

Shakoor emphasized that connecting new housing societies to essential services would not only benefit families directly but also have broader economic and social effects. Enabling occupancy would reduce congestion in Karachi’s central areas, improve living conditions in suburban neighborhoods, and stimulate local commerce. Moreover, establishing reliable public transport, including new bus routes for these communities, would facilitate commuting and integrate these settlements more effectively into the city’s infrastructure.

He called on the Sindh government to prioritize the development of suburban housing societies, ensuring that water, electricity, gas, and roads are delivered promptly. Addressing these deficiencies, he argued, would restore public confidence in the housing sector and encourage further investment in the city’s real estate market.

With Karachi’s population continuing to grow and urban expansion accelerating, Shakoor warned that inaction could lead to further inefficiencies and wasted investment. He urged authorities to adopt a coordinated approach to urban planning and infrastructure development, particularly in emerging suburban areas where housing demand is high.

“The housing sector has the potential to boost Karachi’s economy, improve living standards, and decongest central neighborhoods,” Shakoor concluded. “But without timely provision of basic utilities and public transport, these benefits cannot be realized.”