KARACHI: Amid ongoing protests by Clifton residents and civil society against construction on Nehr-i-Khayyam by the provincial government, Leader of the Opposition in the City Council Advocate Saifuddin visited the site on Sunday and joined the demonstrators, opposing any commercial activity or use of land along the key waterway.

The opposition leader, who was accompanied by Jamaat-i-Islami leader Taimoor Ahmed, Clifton Residents Forum President Rasha Tarik, environmental activists Yasir Hussain and Ahmed Shabbar, social activist Abdul Hameed Dagia and a large number of residents, saw the ongoing construction work on the controversial project to convertthe key waterway into narrow drains.

Talking to the media, Mr Saifuddin warned that narrowing or closing the natural waterway could adversely affect rainwater drainage in Karachi, where large volumes of water accumulate during the monsoon.

He opposed any commercial activity along Nehr-i-Khayyam and demanded that the Sindh government make the project`s PC-1, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and other relevant documents public.

He said that the project must be reviewed transparently, keeping environmental protection, urban development and public interest in view.

He said the issue was not merely political but directly concerned the environment, urban planning and the fundamental rights of citizens. `Karachi is rapidly turning into a concrete jungle, with open spaces shrinking at an alarming pace, making the protection of natural waterways and the environment imperative,` he said.

Mr Saifuddin said Nehr-i-Khayyam was originally a natural waterway that carried rainwater but had gradually been turned into a sewerage channel.

Supporting residents` demand, he said,`Residents wanted separate drains or pipelines for sewage so that the remaining portion of the canal could be restored and kept open.

He stressed that project planning must prioritise citizens` needs and environmen-tal protection and demanded that the relevant departments disclose all project documents and clarify the intended use of the land along the waterway.

`If the project is transparent, its PC-1, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)and other relevant official documents should be presented before the public and elected representatives,` he said.

The opposition leader said he would raise the issue in the City Council and seek the presentation of all documents related to the projectbefore electedrepresentatives,adding that citizens had the right to know about decisions concerning the city`s natural waterways and open spaces.

Expressing concern over the possible commercial use of valuable land along Nehr-i-Khayyam, he said there appeared to be an attempt to promote commercial activities in the area, similar to what was happening in parks. He made it clear that such activity would not be acceptable.

Mr Saifuddin called for a technical review of the project to assess its potential impact on the city`s drainage system and ensure proper arrangements for sewage disposal and maintenance.

Highlighting wider environmental concerns, he said the protection of other natural waterways, including the Malir River, was equally important.

`Pollution caused by sewage and increasing construction around the river are contributing to environmental problems,` he said.