Heatwave: Sindh govt announces public holiday

KARACHI: In a bid to provide the masses a little respite from the blistering heatwave, the provincial government in Sindh has announced a public holiday on Wednesday.

At least 770 people have died in the last four days as a result of a severe heat wave in Karachi with medics battling to treat patients as a state of emergency was declared in hospitals.

Meanwhile, 33 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours from Hyderabad, Tando Allah Yar and Hala.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon early on Wednesday said in a statement that the decision has been taken to protect people from the scorching heat.

He said that all offices in the province will remain closed today. However, the session of the Sindh Assembly will take place as normal, he added.

Memon also announced to stage a protest sit-in outside the Sindh Assembly building against inapt behavior of K-Electric. Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah will lead the sit-in, he added.

Provincial ministers will also partake in the protest demonstration against the ‘atrocities of K-Electric and the federal ministry of water and power’, Memon announced.

Black-day announced for Friday

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi announced a country-wide black-day on Friday against what he termed the failure of the PML-N government over the power crisis.

Speaking in Geo News programme “Capital Talk”, he said the opposition parties have unanimously demanded resignations of Federal Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif and State Minster for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali.