Day: July 26, 2026

Karachi: In a major step towards ensuring an orderly, business-friendly, and encroachment-free Karachi, Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab has announced that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), in coordination with the district administration, will begin the strict implementation of the approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for regulating small hotels and roadside food businesses across the city.

The decision was taken during a high-level meeting jointly chaired by Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Central Taha Saleem, Deputy Commissioner South Javed Nabi, and other deputy commissioners, who reviewed the existing regulatory framework and discussed measures for its effective implementation.

According to the press release issued, Addressing the meeting, the mayor said that the city administration fully supports legitimate businesses and believes that economic activity should continue without unnecessary hurdles. However, he emphasized that commercial activities must be conducted within a transparent and regulated framework that protects public spaces and ensures convenience for citizens.

Mayor Karachi announced that, under the approved SOPs developed in consultation with representatives of the hotel association and other stakeholders, all applications seeking permission to operate roadside hotel businesses will be processed through a fully digital and transparent system, taking into account the limitations and right-of-way of roads across the city.

Under the new mechanism, business operators will submit their applications online. Following the prescribed verification process, which will be carried out jointly by the relevant Town Municipal Corporation (TMC) and the office of the concerned Deputy Commissioner, permissions will be issued digitally. To facilitate business continuity and eliminate unnecessary delays, applicants who complete the required process will be issued a unique barcode-based permit that will serve as proof of authorization.

He further stated that all fees collected under this system will be deposited directly into the accounts of the respective Town Municipal Corporations. These funds will be utilized exclusively for city development, beautification projects, and the improvement of municipal services within the respective towns.

The Mayor directed all deputy commissioners and municipal authorities to begin implementing the SOPs without further delay and ensure that enforcement is carried out uniformly across all districts. He stressed that no unauthorized occupation of roads, footpaths, or other public spaces would be tolerated, adding that public convenience and urban discipline remain the administration’s top priorities.

Karachi: In view of the ongoing heavy rains and urban flooding across Sindh, the Directorate General Health Services Sindh has established a ‘Rain Emergency Cell’ to ensure uninterrupted medical assistance and emergency healthcare services for the public.

According to an official announcement, all Directors of Health Services and District Health Officers (DHOs) across the province have been directed to immediately set up similar emergency cells in their respective divisions and districts to provide timely medical support during any emergency.

The Health Department has also designated focal persons to coordinate emergency response and assist citizens requiring urgent healthcare during the rain emergency:

Dr. Shahid Memon (Deputy Director General MandE) – 0343-7196730

Dr. Zubair Uddin Qureshi (Deputy Director BandA) – 0331-4216070

Dr. Saqib Shaikh (Director Health Services Karachi) – 0300-2247244

The department has urged the public to contact the designated focal persons immediately in case of any medical emergency or health-related assistance during the ongoing spell of heavy rainfall.

Karachi: The Chief Secretary (CS) of Sindh Asif Hyder Shah on Saturday issued strict directives to all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across the province to ensure complete preparedness ahead of the upcoming monsoon spell, directing that there should be no lapse in administrative response and that the public must witness an active government presence in every district.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review monsoon preparedness and wheat stocks, the Chief Secretary directed all Deputy Commissioners to immediately convene meetings of District Coordination Committees and prepare comprehensive district-specific contingency plans in consultation with PDMA, Health, Irrigation, Local Government, Municipal Authorities, Police and all relevant departments.

The meeting was attended by Commissioner Karachi, Chairman CMIT, Secretaries of Food, Irrigation and Rehabilitation, Director General PDMA and other senior officials, while all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners across Sindh participated through video link.

The Chief Secretary directed that PDMA and District Control Rooms be activated immediately, while 24-hour situation reports must be submitted every morning throughout the monsoon season for continuous monitoring.

He emphasized that contingency plans must include identification of relief camp sites, availability of rescue boats, dewatering pumps, bowsers, generators and other emergency machinery, resource mapping, arrangements for food and drinking water, and adequate stocks of medicines for both Health and Livestock Departments.

Special instructions were issued to engage vulnerable communities living inside protective bunds and to ensure uninterrupted medical and veterinary services by establishing health and livestock camps equipped with medicines, vaccines and emergency response teams.

The Chief Secretary instructed all municipal authorities to remove bottlenecks, complete cleaning of stormwater drains and ensure uninterrupted drainage arrangements before the onset of heavy rains.

He stressed that all officers and field staff must remain present in their respective areas so that citizens could visibly see the administration responding on the ground. He also directed that station leave for officers and staff of all essential services should be discouraged during the emergency period.

The meeting was informed that, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, moderate to isolated heavy rainfall is expected till 27 July in Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Sanghar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar, Hyderabad, Matiari, Jamshoro and Shaheed Benazirabad, while light to moderate rainfall is also expected in Ghotki, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Sukkur, Kambar Shahdadkot, Larkana, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze and Thatta.

Karachi is likely to experience mostly cloudy weather with chances of light rain and drizzle. Secretary Irrigation informed the meeting that river conditions are being monitored round the clock, rainfall in Punjab and Balochistan is under constant observation, and approximately 350, 000 cusecs of water is expected at Guddu Barrage. All vulnerable points along the Indus River are being inspected and strengthened before peak flows.

The Chief Secretary appreciated the coordinated performance of district administrations, PDMA, Health and Livestock Departments during last year’s floods and directed all Deputy Commissioners to adopt the same model of coordinated disaster response while further strengthening preparedness.

Reviewing wheat stocks across the province, the Chief Secretary Sindh directed Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to continue an indiscriminate crackdown against wheat hoarders, stating that no one would be allowed to exploit the prevailing situation by creating an artificial shortage of wheat. He specifically instructed district administrations to intensify action against major wheat hoarders and directed Commissioners to maintain continuous pressure until all illegally stored wheat was recovered.

The Chief Secretary further ordered all Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners to prepare lists of officials from the district administration, Food Department, Police and Revenue Department found facilitating or colluding with hoarders, warning that no official involved would be spared.

The Chief Secretary directed the Food Department to immediately devise a comprehensive mechanism for the prompt lifting and movement of confiscated wheat stocks to ensure their timely disposal. The Department was instructed to submit the necessary summary to the Sindh Cabinet for approval of the proposed mechanism and complete all procedural requirements on a priority basis.