Karachi | Pakistan

The Sindh government has declared a public holiday on Wednesday in Karachi following heavy rainfall lashing the metropolis. In a separate notification, the Sindh government’s school department has ordered all private and public educational institutions under its purview in the city to remain closed today due to the heavy rainfall. With citizens experiencing extended power failures, traffic jams and general mayhem as heavy rain on Tuesday, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab declared a rain emergency amid warnings of more showers to come. According to the Met Office, as of 8pm Tuesday, Gulshan-i-Hadeed had recorded the highest level of rain at 170 millimetres, followed by Airport Old Area at 158.5mm, Jinnah Terminal 153mm, Nazimabad 149.6mm, Surjani Town 145.2mm, Keamari 140mm, Saadi Town 140.2mm, Defence Housing Authority Phase VII 134mm, University Road 133mm, PAF Base Faisal 128mm, North Karachi 108.4mm, Korangi 132.2mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar 98mm, PAF Masroor Base 87mm, Orangi Town 66.2mm and Bahria Town 4.8mm. It cont...

At least seven people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy downpours lashed Karachi on Tuesday, leaving commuters stranded for hours in massive traffic jams as rainwater accumulated rapidly on the main thoroughfares of the megacity. According to the Met Office, as of 8pm, Gulshan-i-Hadeed had recorded the highest level of rainfall at 170 millimetres, followed by Airport Old Area with 158.5mm, Jinnah Terminal 153mm, Nazimabad 149.6mm, Surjani Town 145.2mm, Keamari 140mm, Saadi Town 140.2mm, Defence Housing Authority Phase VII 134mm, University Road 133mm, PAF Base Faisal 128mm, North Karachi 108.4mm, Korangi 132.2mm, Gulshan-i-Maymar 98mm, PAF Masroor Base 87mm, Orangi Town 66.2mm and Bahria Town 4.8mm. Visuals shared widely on social media showed main roads and arteries of the city submerged during rush hour, with traffic gridlocked as a result. Those who had managed to reach work earlier in the day reported reaching home after several long hours navigating the city’s flooded roads. Lives lost Rescu...

Flight operations were affected at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on Tuesday as the city received heavy rainfall, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA). Karachi received heavy rainfall in several areas over the day, triggering power outages throughout the city as the authorities advised citizens to take precautionary measures. According to a statement issued by PAA spokesperson Saifullah Khan, several flights were affected due to inclement weather during the day. Affected flights included Pakistan International Airline’s (PIA) PK 304 from Karachi to Lahore, which was scheduled for 2pm but was delayed till 5pm. PIA’s flights from Karachi to Quetta and Sukkur were also cancelled, whereas the flight to Islamabad was delayed an hour till 5pm. The national flag carrier also confirmed in a separate statement that its flight operations were affected due to bad weather in Karachi and Islamabad. Flight path of Flydubai flight FZ335 from Dubai to Karachi diverted to Multan on ...

KARACHI: At least eight people have lost their lives in various rain-related incidents as heavy downpours continued to lash the city since Tuesday morning, disrupting daily life and crippling civic infrastructure. The intermittent heavy rain caused urban flooding in several areas, leaving roads submerged and the city’s routine activities paralyzed. According to reports, four people […]

KARACHI: The Sindh government has announced that schools will remain closed on Wednesday across Karachi amid heavy rainfall. The decision was made due to the risk of urban flooding caused by continuous downpours. Authorities stated that the move is intended to ensure the safety of students and school staff amid weather-related challenges. It is worth […]

Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani said that arrangements were in place to deal with the upcoming monsoon spell as parts of Karachi received light rain on Monday. Monsoon rains fall across the region from June to September, offering respite from the summer heat and are crucial to replenishing water supplies. However, heavy downpours also trigger deadly floods, landslides and displacement, particularly in vulnerable, poorly drained, or densely populated areas. Under the influence of approaching monsoon currents, Karachi experienced hot and humid weather on Sunday and the Meteorological Depart­ment forecast rain with thunderstorms for today in the city. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Ghani said: “There are chances of severe rains in Sindh, especially in Karachi, with chances of urban flooding … regarding that, whatever is humanely possible, which a person, government or institution can do, we have made those arrangements.” He added that instructions were given earlier as well about rain...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rainfall accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms in Karachi and several districts of Sindh from Sunday evening or night.

KARACHI: At least eight people drowned while swimming at three different locations in Karachi, rescue sources said on Thursday, ARY News reported. Three of the eight persons who were drowned were rescued, while search operations are ongoing for the remaining five, the rescue sources added. Five people drowned at Manora Point where the rescue teams […]

Karachi police on Thursday announced comprehensive security measures for the Chehlum procession of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), which will take place tomorrow, while also issuing a traffic plan. Chehlum, also known as Arbaeen (40 in Arabic), marks the 40th day of mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). It is marked by processions by Shia Muslims across the country. Karachi’s Additional Inspector General (IG) Javed Alam Javed said in a statement that 7,465 police officers and personnel will be deployed for security duty at 108 processions, 2,901 at 501 majalis, and 1,113 at 642 imambargahs on Chehlum, for a total deployment of 11,479 officers and personnel. “All roads intersecting the route of Karachi’s main procession will remain completely closed, and extraordinary measures have also been taken around Nishtar Park,” he added. According to the Additional IG, all station house officers have been instructed to remain present in their respective areas, intensify ...

Two siblings were killed and their father injured in a road accident involving a dumper on Karachi’s Rashid Minhas Road near Lucky One Mall early Sunday, sparking mob violence and protests that disrupted traffic on key city routes, officials said. In recent months, Karachi has witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. Central Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zeeshan Shafiq Siddiqi said that around 3:15am, a dumper truck hit a motorcycle carrying a family, killing Mahnoor, 22, and her 14-year-old brother Ahmed Raza, and injuring their 48-year-old father, Shakir. Following the incident, transporters staged a protest by blocking Rashid Minhas Road and the Superhighway near Sohrab Goth, causing traffic jams. Both inbound and outbound roads on Rashid Minhas Road from Sohrab Goth towards Gulshan-i-Iqbal were closed, while traffic on Al-Asif Square towards ...

Karachi’s electricity consumers will receive a relief of Rs1.

A devastating fire broke out at a garment factory in Karachi’s Landhi Export Processing Zone on Thursday, leading to the collapse of a five-storey building and raising serious concerns over workplace safety.

A search operation for a missing body continued for a second day after a couple from Karachi drowned in a boat capsize accident in Skardu, officials said on Wednesday. Skardu is a popular tourist destination for local and international visitors. However, accidents are quite common due to the difficult terrain and lack of modern infrastructure. A statement by Rescue 1122 said, “Two people went missing in a tragic boat capsizing incident in the beautiful Kachora area of Skardu. Rescue 1122 divers and rescue personnel of Skardu have recovered the body of a woman after taking immediate action, while the search for the other missing person is still ongoing. The search and rescue operation was ongoing under the supervision of Emergency Officer Islamuddin, it added. Baltistan Police Public Relations Officer Ghulam Muhammad told Dawn.com that a family from Karachi, who were visiting the Kachura Soq Valley in Skardu, had been rafting on a river when the raft capsized at 4pm on Tuesday. “Three operators and a 15-year-o...

ISLAMABAD - The Chief Justice of Paki­stan, Justice Yahya Afridi chaired a high-level meet­ing on the sustainable planning and feasibility of the proposed New Judicial Complex in Karachi, held at the Supreme Court Branch Registry, Karachi.

Police personnel detained PTI protesters in Lahore and Karachi on Tuesday after party activists took to the streets to officially kick off a nationwide movement for the release of ex-premier Imran Khan, who has been in jail for two years now. Imran, imprisoned since Aug 5, 2023 in a case related to state gifts, is serving a sentence at the Adiala Jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials in alleged terrorism cases related to the May 9, 2023 riots. Imran had issued a nationwide protest call, with a statement attributed to him saying that the “movement that begins on August 5 will continue until democracy is restored in its true spirit”. According to PTI leader Asad Qaiser, August 5 was the inception of the protest, but it should not be considered a “final call”. Lahore Deputy Inspector General (operations) Faisal Kamran told Dawn.com: “More than 30 PTI activists trying to block roads in different areas of the city were taken into custody.” He denied reports of the police arresting hu...

KARACHI: The German Consulate General in Karachi has formally resumed German visa services for non-European Union (EU) citizens, including Pakistani nationals. Earlier, the consulate had put operations on hold last week due to undefined reasons, triggering doubts among visa applicants. The visa section will start operations from Tuesday, August 5. Applicants can submit their applications […]

A Karachi court has ordered the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Central (Shadman) to pay Rs9.

A high-speed trailer truck crashed in Karachi’s upscale Defence Housing Authority (DHA) on Monday morning, injuring two people, according to Rescue 1122. The city has lately witnessed a rise in traffic accidents, especially involving heavy vehicles, including dumpers and water tankers, which killed nearly 500 people and injured 4,879 in 2024, according to hospital data. According to a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Sindh, the trailer was travelling at a high speed when it crashed into a bungalow in DHA Phase 2. He said that as soon as Rescue 1122’s Central Command and Control team received the information, the urban search and rescue team, along with two ambulances and one disaster response vehicle, rushed to the scene. “Two people trapped as a result of the collision were rescued safely,” he said, adding that they were transported to the hospital via ambulance with minor injuries. He added that both of the injured victims were trailer staff. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Syed Asad Raza confirmed that th...

KARACHI: A motorcyclist lost his life after being hit and run over by a speeding bus near Pukhtoonabad in Karachi’s Manghopir area on Sunday. According to police, the victim was critically injured and shifted to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The bus driver fled the scene following the accident but was […]

TORONTO: The US has temporarily limited visits by government personnel to high-end hotels in Karachi after receiving a report of a threat, the State Department said on Friday. “The US Consulate General Karachi received a report of a threat directed at high-end hotels in Karachi,” the department said in a security alert. “The US Consulate General in Karachi has temporarily limited visits by official US government personnel to these hotels.” The State Department said it sometimes declares areas in foreign countries, such as tourist attractions, hotels, markets, shopping malls and restaurants, off-limits to official US government personnel in response to such threats. The security alert urges people to avoid the areas and crowds, keep a low profile and to stay alert in places frequented by tourists and citizens of Western countries. The State Department currently has a travel advisory in place for Pakistan that advises US citizens to reconsider travelling there due to the risk of terrorism and the potential for ...