Karachi | Pakistan

The Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday issued a weather alert for Karachi and several districts of the province, warning of rain and thunderstorms later this week in line with forecasts by the Pakistan Meteorological Department.

KARACHI: Three people were arrested after a huge fire erupted in the gutted structure of Karachi’s Gul Plaza shopping centre on Sunday, which was brought under control by over half a dozen fire tenders after several hours, according to police and rescue services officials. The development comes after a huge fire erupted at the shopping centre in January this year, claiming the lives of over 70 people and destroying hundreds of shops. Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn that the service received information about a fire in the basement at around 5:00pm. “Six fire tenders managed to control the blaze after hectic efforts up to 70 per cent, but thick smoke and heat is still emanating from the building,” he stated. Khan added that a “special response team” — set up after the previous Gul Plaza fire and equipped with the latest equipment — was deployed to the scene. He said initially, they were informed that the fire had erupted “spontaneously” in bushes inside Gul Plaza’s basement. “Since the...

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday that the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) would go ahead sans spectators while matches would be held only in Karachi and Lahore in line with the government’s austerity drive. The tournament, which is set to begin on March 26, will feature eight teams and 44 matches. It was initially scheduled to be held across six venues — Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, and Faisalabad. However, addressing a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, the PCB chairman said the board, after holding consultations with the government and security agencies, had decided that the tournament “will go ahead as scheduled [..] but a few difficult decisions had to be taken”. Noting the government’s austerity drive, which was launched in the wake of the global fuel crisis triggered by the US-Israel’s war on Iran and aimed at fuel saving measures, the PCB chairman said, “On one hand, 25,000 to 30,000 people will be gathering at stadiums and on the ot...

Karachi is expected to receive rain accompanied by thunderstorms on Sunday as a western weather system continues to influence large parts of the country, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD).

A new western weather system brought widespread rain to Karachi early this morning, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

Eid ul-Fitr prayers arrangements were disrupted in Karachi as several parts of the port city received rain accompanied by thunder and lightning on the first day of Eid.

KARACHI: The Sindh Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday arrested five members of the proscribed Baloch Republican Guard (BRG), who were allegedly planning to carry out an attack on railway tracks in Karachi. In a press release, the department said that it conducted a joint intelligence-based operation (IBO) with rangers and the federal intelligence agency, “arresting five members of the BRG, and foiling a terrorist plan on railway tracks in Karachi”. The CTD said, in its statement, that the group has carried out “six low-intensity explosions in Jacobabad, Shikarpur districts of Sindh, resulting in partial damage to the railway track and train carriage”. It said that the group had claimed responsibility for the attacks on its social media accounts. It added that the CTD, working in collaboration with the “civilian federal intelligence agency [..] identified the network and monitored them day and night”. The CTD recovered explosives, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), weapons, and ammunition from the ...

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday forecast rain in Karachi and other parts of Sindh for tomorrow, when the country will celebrate the first day of Eidul Fitr. In its daily weather forecast, the weather body said a westerly wave was “continuously affecting” most parts of the country. It said “rain/thunderstorm with strong winds” was likely in Karachi Division and various other Sindh districts tomorrow. The same was forecast for Larkana, Qambar-Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Sukkur, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Matiari, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Naushahro Feroze, Shaheed Benazirabad and Dadu districts. However, in a three-day weather outlook for Karachi, the PMD said the weather in the city tomorrow was expected to be “mostly cloudy with chances of isolated thunderstorm/rain at outskirts”. Daytime temperatures will range between 29 and 31 degrees Celsius, while night temperatures could drop to as low as 17-19°C. Humidity levels in the morning were expected to remain b...

KARACHI: Twenty people died and eight were injured as a result of a thunderstorm that swept through Karachi on Wednesday night, the city police said on Thursday. Heavy rain and strong winds lashed the city and caused casualties related to falling debris and wall collapses, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said a westerly wave was affecting most parts of the country. Additional Inspector General of Police Azad Khan told Dawn that, according to police records, 13 of the deaths occurred during a wall collapse in Saeedabad and two more due to a wall collapse in Quaidabad. Two were also injured in a wall collapse in Keamari. Separately, roof collapses killed one and injured three people in Gulistan-i- Jauhar, as well as causing one death and two injuries in the Mominabad area of Orangi Town. One person also died in a roof collapse in Malir’s Sukhan area, while one person died and one was injured in Clifton after being hit by debris from the storm. Additionally, Khan said that one death was caused by...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast rainfall with thunderstorms in Karachi on Eid ul Fitr, warning of unstable weather conditions in the city and its outskirts on Saturday.

KARACHI: At least 15 people died in rain-related incidents on Wednesday night, officials and rescue services said, as heavy showers lashed parts of Karachi hours after the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said that a westerly wave was likely to bring rainy weather to the metropolis and other parts of Sindh. South Deputy Inspector General of Police Asad Raza told Dawn that 12 of the victims died when a wall of the telephonce exchange’s building collapsed in Saeedabad. He said the victims were sitting near the wall, which collapsed due to strong winds. Separately, the Edhi rescue service said a couple died as the wall of a house collapsed in Landhi while a man died when a tree fell in Korangi. According to DawnNewsTV, rainfall was reported in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Gulzar-i-Hijri, North Karachi, Surjani Town, North Nazimabad, Saddar, Tower, Sharea Faisal, I I Chundrigar Road, Federal B Area, Hassan Square, Manghopir, Site area, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Defence and Clifton. According to the P...

'Meri Eidi Tere Hawale' promises raucous family entertainment in Karachi on Eidul Fitr

Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has announced the introduction of a new electric bus route in Karachi, which will begin operating on Tuesday.

KARACHI: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday forecast rain and thunderstorms in Karachi and other parts of Sindh from March 18 to 19. In an advisory issued today, PMD said “a westerly wave” was likely to enter the western parts of the country from tomorrow (Tuesday). It said that under its influence, the metropolis will have “partly cloudy weather” with the chance of “thunderstorm/rain” on March 18 and 19. PMD, in its advisory, said that rain and thunderstorms with strong winds and isolated hailstorms are likely in Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Matiari. Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allah Yar, Umerkot, Tharparker, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Nosheroferoz, Shaheed Benazirabad, and Dadu on Wednesday and Thursday. While Larkana, Qamber Shahdad Kot, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Ghotki and Sukkur districts are set to receive heavy rainfall on March 18 and 19 with “occasional gaps”. PMD said that lightning strikes may occur at “isolated places” during the period and advised farmers to “ma...

Three separate traffic accidents in different areas of Karachi within the span of an hour left three people dead, including a woman, and three others injured, rescue officials said.

President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday met with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in Karachi, where they discussed the importance of political harmony. This was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Presidency, with sources earlier stating that issues pertaining to Karachi uplift projects, particularly those underway with federal funding and relations between the PPP and MQM-P came under discussion during the meeting. According to the Presidency’s statement, the “importance of national unity, political harmony and continued democracy” was discussed during the meeting. “The president stressed unity and stronger efforts for peace and rule of law,” said a statement posted on X by the Presidency. “The meeting underscored the need for joint efforts to promote peace, stability, and the rule of law in the country,” the statement read. The leaders “exchanged views on the country’s overall internal security situation and matters rel...

A man walks past scores of gas cylinders, while LPG (right) is filled at a shop in North Nazimabad. —Fahim Siddiqi / White Star KARACHI: Following the suspension of supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, the city’s gas crisis has worsened amid Ramazan’s peak demand, leaving fasting residents struggling during crucial Sehri and Iftar hours. Meanwhile, the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has introduced an unannounced supply schedule, compounding the peoples’ problems. Since the war has broken in Iran around two weeks ago, Karachi’s households have been struggling to cope with the worsening gas shortage across the city. A senior SSGC official, who preferred to be unnamed, told Dawn that the overall gas supply situation needed a lot of “adjustment” following the suspension of LNG supply from Qatar, adding that the gas utility had so far “successfully” managed to ensure gas supplies during Sehri and Iftar. However, with low gas pressure and disrupted supply...

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Several routes in Karachi and Islamabad were closed on Friday as part of security arrangements for Al-Quds Day rallies. Al-Quds Day is observed globally every year since it was first announced by Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini. The day is observed on the last Friday of Ramazan to highlight the “atrocities of Israel against Palestinians”. However, with the possibility of Eidul Fitr falling on next Friday if the Shawwal moon is sighted on March 19, the Al-Quds Day is being observed today. Karachi In a statement issued by the Office of the Karachi traffic deputy inspector general of police, citizens were informed that a religious group would organise a “Youm-i-Quds Rally” after Friday prayers, marching from Numaish to Aman Tower. Accordingly, the road from Boat Basin towards Jinnah Bridge remained during the day closed. The road from PIDC going towards Jinnah Bridge on M.T. Khan Road was closed in both directions. Traffic police said, “the closures were being implemented as p...

Traffic police in Karachi have announced the closure of several major roads on Friday due to security arrangements for rallies marking Youm-e-Quds.

KARACHI: Several routes in Karachi, including the M.A. Jinnah Road, were closed for traffic on Wednesday while the main Youm-i-Ali procession set off from Nishtar Park and culminated at Imambargah Hussainia Iranian. Strict security arrangements were in place as the country observed Youm-i-Ali to mark the martyrdom day of Hazrat Ali. A statement by the traffic police said: “Due to security reasons, M.A. Jinnah Road from Gurumandir to Tower and from Saddar Dawakhana, Empress Market to Regal Chowk will remain closed.” There was no confirmation of the roads being reopened until the last updates were received at around midnight. Earlier, a statement issued by the East Zone police said the main procession had departed from Nishtar Park, with Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dr Farrukh Ali and other senior officers present at the gathering’s head. A strict monitoring and checking system was established at the entrance and exit routes of the procession and gatherings through walk-through gates, metal detectors and CCTV...