KARACHI (Staff Reporter): Sindh Minister for Local Government, Saeed Ghani, has said that following yesterday’s heavy rainfall in Karachi, drainage operations were initiated immediately after the rains stopped, and by the following morning, all major thoroughfares of the city had been cleared.

Speaking to the media during his inspection tour of various city areas on Wednesday, the minister explained that the intensity of the rainfall — coupled with a sudden rush of citizens leaving offices and homes simultaneously — led to severe traffic jams. The situation worsened when hundreds of vehicles broke down in the accumulated rainwater, further obstructing movement.

“By this morning, we had cleared all main roads across Karachi. Only a few points like Nipa Chowrangi, University Road, and the Supreme Court Karachi Registry still had some water, but machinery has been deployed there and drainage is underway,” Ghani stated. He dismissed allegations of lack of preparedness by the Sindh or local government, calling them nothing more than political point-scoring.

“If our administration was unprepared, then how could 150 millimeters of rainfall be drained from city roads within a few hours?” he asked. Ghani further noted that the areas where drainage had been completed had also revealed key choking points. “We have identified these points, and machinery with staff will remain deployed at such locations throughout the monsoon season.”

Visits Across the City

Accompanied by senior officials, the minister visited Clifton, PIDC, the Supreme Court, Pakistan Chowk, M.A. Jinnah Road, Wazir Mansion, Kharadar, and Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road in District South, as well as Star Gate, Airport, Malir, Quaidabad, Nipa Chowrangi, and University Road in District East.

He was joined by Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi Khuhso, Deputy Commissioner East Abrar Jaffer, Municipal Commissioner Saddar Town Noor Hussain Jokhio, MC Chanesar Town Dr. Iqrar Jilbani, and other officials.

At several sites, Ghani instructed officials to immediately deploy pumps and heavy machinery to clear the remaining water within the next one to two hours. He also contacted the Managing Director of Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), directing him to immediately dispatch staff for cleaning areas where garbage remained after drainage.

Strong Directives to Officials

Expressing frustration at the remaining water in some neighborhoods of District East, Ghani ordered the installation of both heavy and small pumps without delay. At Nipa Chowrangi and Urdu Science College, where drainage difficulties were reported, he contacted the Red Line administration and instructed them to ensure better coordination with local authorities to speed up the process.

The minister also directed staff to prioritize areas where stagnant water was disrupting traffic flow, stressing that maximum machinery must be deployed to ensure smooth vehicular movement within hours. In addition, Ghani spoke directly with the DIG Traffic Police, instructing that all broken-down vehicles parked along the sides of main roads be moved aside immediately to restore traffic flow.

Continuous Presence of Staff

Ghani strongly refuted the impression that the administration was absent or inactive after the rains. “Our entire administration, municipal staff, and elected representatives have been on the ground since the downpour. It is wrong to say that work was not done,” he asserted. He acknowledged, however, that certain locations faced structural difficulties in drainage, but assured that pumps had now been installed at all such points.

During his visit to Kharadar’s Cloth Market and the surrounding Wazir Mansion area, Ghani gave strict instructions to the Deputy Commissioner South and Assistant Commissioner Kharadar to ensure immediate drainage. Similarly, he instructed Municipal Commissioner Noor Hussain Jokhio of Saddar Town to ensure swift post-drainage cleaning.

Apology to Citizens

The minister admitted that citizens had faced great difficulties due to the two hours of intense rainfall, which coincided with peak commuting time. The simultaneous rush of people leaving for home created severe gridlock, and hundreds of vehicles breaking down in water exacerbated the chaos.

“We sincerely apologize to the people of Karachi for the hardship caused. At the same time, I want to assure them that both the Sindh Government and local administration are utilizing all available resources to address these challenges,” he said.

Saeed Ghani concluded by reaffirming that while most of Karachi’s roads had been cleared within hours, remaining problem spots were being tackled on a priority basis, with staff and machinery instructed to remain alert throughout the ongoing monsoon season.