Special prayers for rain held in Karachi

By
Khawar Khan
|
People offer special prayers for rain. Photo: Geo News

KARACHI: Hundreds gathered at New Memon Masjid on MA Jinnah Road to offer special prayers for rain in Karachi which has been gripped by a heatwave for over a week now.

A mass prayer for rain was held on Saturday at the mosque which is one of the biggest and most prominent mosques in the city.

Worshippers offered Salat Al-Istisqa (Prayer for Rain) to ask for relief in the form of rain as Karachi has been grappling with a heatwave with temperatures soaring over 40 degrees Celsius daily.

Further, the Meteorological Department has issued another heatwave warning as temperatures in Karachi are expected to soar from Monday (May 27) to Thursday (May 31) after cooling off slightly on the weekend.

People offer special prayers for rain. Photo: Geo News

However, speaking to Geo News, Sindh Health Secretary Dr Fazlullah Pechuho dismissed reports of deaths due to the heatwave in the city.

“So far not a single death has been reported due to the heatwave in the city,” Dr Pechuho said. 

The heatwaves coincide with the holy month of Ramazan. The mega port city is already plagued by frequent and unannounced power cuts and lack of green spaces – all of which make the heat harder to bear.

People living on Karachi’s crowded streets have little access to shelter or safe drinking water, making them acutely at risk in blistering temperatures.

In June 2015 about 1,200 people died in southern Pakistan during a heatwave, with nearly two-thirds of the victims being homeless people.