Murad unhappy with media for 'airing old flood footage to create misleading impression'

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said that the recent heavy rains across the city are not local phenomena, but part of a global trend linked to climate change affecting Pakistan and the world.

Speaking to the media at Nursery, he cited devastating floods recently witnessed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, China, New York, and Houston as examples of this global climate crisis.

Highlighting Karachi’s rainfall, Shah shared that about 160 to 170 millimetres fell within 3 to 4 hours, aggregating up to 185 to 200 millimetres in 12 hours, levels that naturally cause urban flooding in a densely populated city. He compared this to Mumbai, which recorded 200 millimetres in the same period but has an average annual rainfall roughly ten times that of Karachi.

The chief minister underlined the urgent need for modern and efficient drainage systems to mitigate the impact of such extreme weather in the future, ensuring urban resilience and citizens’ safety.

Despite the torrential rain, the CM stated that the administration successfully cleared the water from the city by late night. He personally monitored conditions till midnight, witnessing streets that were waterlogged right after the rains had drained by morning.

Recalling the dire flooding of 2020, he noted how water then remained stagnant for over 24 hours, contrasting it with this time’s relatively prompt drainage. While acknowledging some shortcomings, he welcomed constructive criticism and announced disciplinary actions against officials who failed to perform.

Also Read: Rain, urban flooding-related death toll rises to 11 in Karachi

The CM also criticised some media channels for airing old flood footage that created a misleading impression of the current city situation, urging responsible reporting to guide the public on safety practices during the rains.

To a question regarding coordination and accountability among agencies, he acknowledged the continuous efforts of provincial ministers and local authorities present in the field during the rains. However, he expressed concern about the performance of certain local representatives, especially after the formation of town administrations, which he said led to division and inefficiency in service delivery.

Mr Shah called upon all political stakeholders, including the thirteen Jamaat-e-Islami town chairmen in Karachi, to stop blame games and fulfil their respective responsibilities to help the city recover.