Sindh CM declares public holiday in Karachi as more rains forecast

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday announced a public holiday in Karachi for Wednesday, advising citizens to stay indoors as heavy rains are expected to continue.

The chief minister said the decision was taken to save people from inconvenience caused by the wet weather. “More rain is likely, and a public holiday has been declared so that people do not suffer,” Murad Ali Shah stated.

Following the announcement, both private and government schools across Karachi will remain closed tomorrow. Secretary School Education Zahid Ali Abbasi issued an official notification confirming the closure. Similarly, all public and private colleges in the city will also observe a holiday, according to a notification issued by Secretary College Education Shahab Qamar.

The Sindh Technical Board has also postponed its scheduled Business Mathematics and Statistics paper, originally set for tomorrow.

According to a board spokesperson, the examination will now take place on August 26 from 2 pm to 5 pm. Meanwhile, students who missed their papers today due to the downpour will be allowed to reappear on August 23.

In addition, the Senate by-elections for a seat reserved for the Karachi University Syndicate—scheduled for Wednesday, August 20—have been postponed due to the unexpected change in weather. A spokesperson confirmed that a new date will be announced later.

Several universities have also announced closures in view of the prevailing situation. NED University has suspended classes at all its campuses, including its attached campus and the Thar Institute of Science and Technology, spokesperson Farwa Hassan confirmed. Benazir Bhutto Shaheed University in Lyari has also declared a holiday, as announced by its spokesperson.

Jinnah Sindh Medical University will remain closed tomorrow as well, with all classes shifted to online mode, the university’s spokesperson said. A notification regarding the closure has already been issued. Meanwhile, Dawood Engineering University remains on its semester break.

According to Secretary Universities and Boards, vice-chancellors of various universities have been given the discretion to decide on closures depending on the circumstances.

The announcements come in the wake of recent torrential rains that have disrupted life across Karachi, inundating low-lying areas and affecting routine activities.