ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Sunday directed the launch of a post-rain cleanup operation at Karachi’s ports and pledged long-term preventive measures to curb toxic pollution that follows heavy monsoon showers.
According to an official press release, waste is being cleared from berths, jetties and navigational channels at Karachi and Port Qasim under the minister’s instructions. The initiative seeks to stop pollutants from flowing into the sea and damaging marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal communities.
The minister cautioned that the recurring problem of waste inflow into Karachi Harbour and adjoining waters intensifies every monsoon, as runoff from urban drains carries sewage, industrial effluents, solid waste and oil residues directly into the sea.
He warned that with climate change driving more erratic and severe rainfall, Karachi’s ports would remain increasingly vulnerable unless authorities move away from reactive cleanups and adopt preventive measures. “Pollution control is a social responsibility,” Chaudhry said, adding that unchecked discharges are threatening marine life, food security and human health.
The minister pointed out that Karachi’s sewerage and drainage systems release around 450 million gallons of untreated sewage and 600 million gallons of industrial effluents into the sea every day. During heavy rains, this toxic inflow accelerates, compounding ecological and health risks.
Citing international examples, Chaudhry said relatively low-cost solutions such as litter booms at drainage outfalls, oil-water separators and systematic water quality monitoring can significantly reduce the pollution load. He added that long-term resilience would require stormwater treatment plants, constructed wetlands and stronger coordination with agencies such as the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
He recalled that the environmental crisis was not new, noting that in 2013 a toxic discharge from storm drains caused a mass die-off of around 100 tonnes of mullet fish, locally known as boi, in the Karachi Port Trust area, Manora Channel and Chinna Creek.
“Coastal zones from Keamari to Manora have been devastated, forcing marine species farther offshore and reducing fish catches, which in turn has hit the livelihoods of millions of fishermen,” Chaudhry said.
The minister reiterated that Karachi’s ports would gradually shift focus from post-rain collection efforts to preventive interception in order to protect marine biodiversity, ensure safer seafood, and safeguard the livelihoods of coastal communities.
