Karachi [Pakistan], May 4 (ANI): The residents of Karachi were pushed to the brink as the city endured a blistering heatwave, with temperatures hitting 40.9C, according to a report by Dawn. The extreme weather was exacerbated by a systemic collapse of basic utilities, leaving millions to suffer through acute water shortages and relentless power cuts.

The intense heat gripped the metropolis on Sunday, with a Met official stating that the 'feel-like' temperature peaked at 46C due to stifling humidity. Dawn reported that this trend of scorching conditions is expected to persist throughout the week, offering no respite to a population already struggling with crumbling infrastructure.

Adding to the misery, the city's water crisis deepened as ruptured pipelines and power failures at pumping stations crippled the supply network. While the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) claimed to have repaired a pre-stressed reinforced cement concrete (PRCC) pipeline, Dawn noted that ground realities contradicted official assurances of normalcy.

The utility admitted that the city is currently facing a deficit, receiving 'around 610 million gallons per day (MGD) against its daily requirement of 650 MGD, leaving a shortfall of approximately 40 MGD.'

Despite claims that the 'situation has improved significantly,' vast swathes of Karachi, including Landhi, Baldia Town, and Orangi Town, remain bone-dry, forcing citizens to purchase water from private tankers at exploitative rates.

The administrative failure was further highlighted by K-Electric's refusal to halt loadshedding despite the life-threatening heat. Dawn reported that the power utility continued to cut electricity in the name of 'minimising so-called losses,' even as residents took to the streets in Mauripur to protest against the dual burden of water and power outages.

While a spokesperson for the utility claimed that 'economic loadshed' is typically suspended when temperatures reach extreme levels, the reality for many neighbourhoods remained one of dark, suffocating homes.

The ongoing crisis prompted sharp criticism from Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan lawmakers, who, according to Dawn, slammed the provincial government for its 'incompetence, negligence and mismanagement.'

The political leadership described the massive water shortfall as a 'serious administrative failure' that has effectively paralysed the city.

As the heat persists, the standoff between an indifferent administration and a desperate public continues to expose the deep-seated governance issues plaguing Pakistan's largest commercial hub. (ANI)