The Not in My Name protests will be held today in at least 13 cities both inside and outside the country.&nbsp;

The protests are against the spate of lynchings of Muslim men in recent times.&nbsp;

As many as 15 Muslim men have been killed since September 2015.&nbsp;

The protests today will be held in most major Indian cities and in the&nbsp;UK.&nbsp;

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Cow has a message for all Cow Terrorists . <a href="https://twitter.com/Shehla_Rashid">@Shehla_Rashid</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotInMyName?src=hash">#NotInMyName</a> <a href="https://t.co/5jdcKQUqc9">pic.twitter.com/5jdcKQUqc9</a>
&mdash; Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) <a href="https://twitter.com/imMAK02/status/879750795557650432">June 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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An appeal to the citizens of India to change their profile pictures as protest mob lynching. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NotInMyName?src=hash">#NotInMyName</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProfileAgainstMobLynching?src=hash">#ProfileAgainstMobLynching</a> <a href="https://t.co/OY4zb8wuq7">pic.twitter.com/OY4zb8wuq7</a>
&mdash; Kawalpreet Kaur (@kawalpreetdu) <a href="https://twitter.com/kawalpreetdu/status/879703722393182208">June 27, 2017</a></blockquote>
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A few will be held tomorrow -- in other Indian cities, and the US and Pakistan -- and on July 1.&nbsp;

The Delhi protest will be held this evening at Jantar Mantar between 6 to 8 pm.&nbsp;

The Not in My Name Facebook page says: &quot;These attacks on Muslims are part of a pattern of other incidents that involve Dalits, Adivasis, and other disadvantaged and minority groups across the country.&nbsp;As citizens let&#39;s get together and through music and poetry assert that the killings and the hatred being unleashed - Is Not In Our Name.&quot;&nbsp;

Attendees are expected to wear black armbands.&nbsp;

The protests are against the spate of lynchings of Muslim men in recent times

The Not in My Name protests will be held today in at least 13 cities both inside and outside the country. The protests are against the spate of lynchings of Muslim men in recent times. As many as 15 Muslim men have been killed since September 2015. The protests today will be held in most major Indian cities and in the UK. Cow has a message for all Cow Terrorists . @Shehla_Rashid #NotInMyName pic.twitter.com/5jdcKQUqc9 — Md Asif Khan (@imMAK02) June 27, 2017 × An appeal to the citizens of India to change their profile pictures as protest mob lynching. #NotInMyName#ProfileAgainstMobLynching pic.twitter.com/OY4zb8wuq7 — Kawalpreet Kaur (@kawalpreetdu) June 27, 2017 × A few will be held tomorrow -- in other Indian cities, and the US and Pakistan -- and on July 1. The Delhi protest will be held this evening at Jantar Mantar between 6 to 8 pm. The Not in My Name Facebook page says: "These attacks on Muslims are part of a pattern of other incidents that involve Dalits, Adivasis, and other disadvantaged and minority groups across the country. As citizens let's get together and through music and poetry assert that the killings and the hatred being unleashed - Is Not In Our Name." Attendees are expected to wear black armbands.

Not in My Name: Protests today in 13 cities inside & outside India

Waseem Akhtar, the mayor elect of Karachi, one of Pakistan&#39;s largest and most populous cities, vowed on Wednesday to run the city from his prison cell after he was detained last month on allegations that he helped militants and criminals.&nbsp; 
 
Akhtar&#39;s Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had &nbsp;swept the local elections in December, but was prevented from taking office because of delays in finalising local council elections in parts of the city. The final voting took place on Wednesday. 
 
He arrived in an armoured police vehicle at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation building to vote in elections that give MQM a secure lead. 
 
&quot;Thank you Karachi, which has gone through this election in such difficult times,&quot; Akhtar said after he voted, according to media reports. 
 
&quot;It will go down in history that such an election has never before taken place in Pakistan.&quot; 
 
Under Pakistan law, politicians can govern from police custody but there is still ambiguity over how Akhtar will run the city from a prison cell. According to media reports, he is not expected to be released before taking his oath, the ceremony for which might take place on August 30. 
 
Media reports also quoted Akhtar&rsquo;s lawyer saying that the new mayor would run Karachi through video link for the whole term of office if necessary. 
 
Akhtar has reportedly said that he would ask the chief minister of Sindh to allow him to open an office in jail and make &quot;new rules&quot; so that people can access him. 
 
MQM has dominated Karachi, which is also Pakistan&rsquo;s richest city, for decades but a paramilitary crackdown since 2013 has chipped away its power base. 
 
A number of MQM members were arrested last year after being accused of murder, torture and racketeering. The party however denies any link to crime and accuses security forces of extra-judicial killing of its members, 
 
Senior Karachi-based members in the &nbsp;MQM pledged this week &nbsp;to reduce the influence of the party&rsquo;s London-based leader, Altaf Hussain, who on Monday urged supporters to attack the office of a TV channel in clashes that left one dead. 
 
(Reuters)

Akhtar was detained last month over allegations of helping militants and is not due to be released before the oath ceremony

Waseem Akhtar, the mayor elect of Karachi, one of Pakistan's largest and most populous cities, vowed on Wednesday to run the city from his prison cell after he was detained last month on allegations that he helped militants and criminals. Akhtar's Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had swept the local elections in December, but was prevented from taking office because of delays in finalising local council elections in parts of the city. The final voting took place on Wednesday. He arrived in an armoured police vehicle at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation building to vote in elections that give MQM a secure lead. "Thank you Karachi, which has gone through this election in such difficult times," Akhtar said after he voted, according to media reports. "It will go down in history that such an election has never before taken place in Pakistan." Under Pakistan law, politicians can govern from police custody but there is still ambiguity over how Akhtar will run the city from a prison cell. According to media reports, he is not expected to be released before taking his oath, the ceremony for which might take place on August 30. Media reports also quoted Akhtar’s lawyer saying that the new mayor would run Karachi through video link for the whole term of office if necessary. Akhtar has reportedly said that he would ask the chief minister of Sindh to allow him to open an office in jail and make "new rules" so that people can access him. MQM has dominated Karachi, which is also Pakistan’s richest city, for decades but a paramilitary crackdown since 2013 has chipped away its power base. A number of MQM members were arrested last year after being accused of murder, torture and racketeering. The party however denies any link to crime and accuses security forces of extra-judicial killing of its members, Senior Karachi-based members in the MQM pledged this week to reduce the influence of the party’s London-based leader, Altaf Hussain, who on Monday urged supporters to attack the office of a TV channel in clashes that left one dead. (Reuters)

Karachi mayor-elect: Will run city from prison cell

A Hindu youth was today shot dead as communal tension gripped a district in Pakistan&#39;s Sindh province following alleged desecration of a holy book, the Quran, as reported by The Dawn, by a man from the minority community who was arrested for blasphemy. 
 
Tension ran high in Mehran Samejo village in Ghotki district after a Hindu man, Amar Lal, who was said to be mentally unstable, allegedly desecrated a holy book yesterday. 
 
According to reports, Amar, who has been arrested, was a drug addict and was living in a mosque after converting to Islam a few months ago. 
 
After the incident, local religious leaders along with several agitated people took to streets. 
 
During a protest, some men riding on motorbikes fired at two Hindu youths who were sitting outside a tea stall in Mirpur Mathelo area. 
 
In the attack, one of the youths, Dewan Sateesh Kumar, 17, was killed while another was critically injured, senior superintendent of police Masood Ahmed Bangash said. 
 
Sateesh was a businessman. 
 
Local leaders of the Hindu community have demanded protection of their lives and properties in the wake of the tensions. 
 
Bangash said that police with the help of Rangers are trying to diffuse the tense situation. 
 
According to reports, all towns of the Ghotki district remained closed today. 
 
Leaders of local religious parties have demanded severe punishment for Amar, who has been booked for blasphemy and shifted to an undisclosed location by police. 
 
Sindh has the biggest population of Hindus in Pakistan. 
 
(PTI)

The mentally unstable Hindu man allegedly desecrated the Quran which led to protests in which the 17-year-old was shot along with his friend

A Hindu youth was today shot dead as communal tension gripped a district in Pakistan's Sindh province following alleged desecration of a holy book, the Quran, as reported by The Dawn, by a man from the minority community who was arrested for blasphemy. Tension ran high in Mehran Samejo village in Ghotki district after a Hindu man, Amar Lal, who was said to be mentally unstable, allegedly desecrated a holy book yesterday. According to reports, Amar, who has been arrested, was a drug addict and was living in a mosque after converting to Islam a few months ago. After the incident, local religious leaders along with several agitated people took to streets. During a protest, some men riding on motorbikes fired at two Hindu youths who were sitting outside a tea stall in Mirpur Mathelo area. In the attack, one of the youths, Dewan Sateesh Kumar, 17, was killed while another was critically injured, senior superintendent of police Masood Ahmed Bangash said. Sateesh was a businessman. Local leaders of the Hindu community have demanded protection of their lives and properties in the wake of the tensions. Bangash said that police with the help of Rangers are trying to diffuse the tense situation. According to reports, all towns of the Ghotki district remained closed today. Leaders of local religious parties have demanded severe punishment for Amar, who has been booked for blasphemy and shifted to an undisclosed location by police. Sindh has the biggest population of Hindus in Pakistan. (PTI)

Charged with desecrating Quran, mob kills youth in Pakistan's Sindh

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. 
 
The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. 
 
Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. &quot;The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes,&quot; senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. 
 
Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city&#39;s Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. 
 
Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri&#39;s killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. 
 
Karachi&#39;s murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. 
 
Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. 
 
(Reuters)

The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence

Gunmen today killed two Pakistan army officials in Karachi, where paramilitary forces have been cracking down on Islamist militants and criminal gangs for almost three years, police and media said. The killings are the latest attacks in the busy port city of 20 million people riven by political, ethnic and sectarian violence, where one of the most popular singers of Sufi devotional music, Amjad Sabri, was shot dead last month. Police said the soldiers, who belonged to an intelligence agency, were patrolling a crowded area of the southern city when their vehicle was attacked. "The attackers were on a motorcycle and managed to escape through the congested narrow lanes," senior police officer Raja Umar Khattab told Reuters. Karachi police chief Mushtaq Mehar said one of the victims died and the other was in critical condition, but the death of the second was confirmed by a doctor at the city's Jinnah Hospital, which received both bodies. Better security in Karachi has been one of the showcase successes of the crackdown, although two days before Sabri's killing, the son of the provincial chief justice was kidnapped from an upscale shopping area. He was rescued later. Karachi's murder rate fell by half after the paramilitary Rangers, who answer to the Ministry of Interior and the army, launched the crackdown in 2014, targeting suspected militants and criminals. Political activists have accused the Rangers of heavy-handed tactics, including summary executions and targeting political parties. The paramilitary force denies the charges. (Reuters)

Gunmen shoot two military officials to death in Pakistan's Karachi

Pakistani authorities today arrested the mayor-elect of Karachi and two other prominent opposition politicians, police said, accusing them of aiding criminals and militants. 
 
Waseem Akhtar, a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, was elected mayor of Karachi in December, but has not yet taken office due to delays in finalising local council elections in a couple of areas of the city. 
 
Saqib Ismail, a senior police officer in Karachi, told Reuters Akhtar and another MQM member, Rauf Siddiqui, were arrested on suspicion of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals. 
 
Ismail added that Anis Kaimkhani from the Pak Sarzameen Party was also arrested in Karachi, a teeming metropolis of about 20 million. 
 
&quot;All three accused will be shifted to Central Jail,&quot; said Ismail, adding that police were conducting raids to arrest a fourth politician, Qadir Patel, who belongs to the Pakistan People&#39;s Party (PPP). 
 
Party leaders were not immediately available to comment on the latest arrests, but the lawyer of mayor-elect Akhtar told media he would challenge the arrests in court on Wednesday. 
 
The arrests are part of an ongoing military-driven crackdown in Karachi and follow the high-profile arrest last year of Dr. Asim Hussain, a petroleum minister in a former PPP-led government. 
 
Hussain is accused of harbouring and providing medical treatment to militants and criminals at his Karachi hospital on the behest of the three politicians arrested today. 
 
The latest arrests are likely to raise new accusations that Pakistan&#39;s powerful military is seeking to strengthen its grip on the country&#39;s largest and wealthiest city and weaken civilian parties. 
 
Most of the hundreds of people targeted by paramilitary forces in recent months on accusations of political corruption and violence have belonged to the MQM. The PPP has in the past condemned Hussain&#39;s arrest and called it politically motivated. 
 
The paramilitary Sindh Rangers have in the past said the Karachi crackdown is necessary to break the cycle of violence and corruption in a city that accounts for half of Pakistan&#39;s national revenues and hosts the stock exchange, central bank and two ports. 
 
Karachi has also long been a hub of violence often linked to political rivalry. 
 
(Reuters)

The three arrested have been accused of aiding criminals and militants. They will be shifted to Pakistan Central Jail

Pakistani authorities today arrested the mayor-elect of Karachi and two other prominent opposition politicians, police said, accusing them of aiding criminals and militants. Waseem Akhtar, a member of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party, was elected mayor of Karachi in December, but has not yet taken office due to delays in finalising local council elections in a couple of areas of the city. Saqib Ismail, a senior police officer in Karachi, told Reuters Akhtar and another MQM member, Rauf Siddiqui, were arrested on suspicion of sheltering and providing medical treatment to alleged militants and criminals. Ismail added that Anis Kaimkhani from the Pak Sarzameen Party was also arrested in Karachi, a teeming metropolis of about 20 million. "All three accused will be shifted to Central Jail," said Ismail, adding that police were conducting raids to arrest a fourth politician, Qadir Patel, who belongs to the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). Party leaders were not immediately available to comment on the latest arrests, but the lawyer of mayor-elect Akhtar told media he would challenge the arrests in court on Wednesday. The arrests are part of an ongoing military-driven crackdown in Karachi and follow the high-profile arrest last year of Dr. Asim Hussain, a petroleum minister in a former PPP-led government. Hussain is accused of harbouring and providing medical treatment to militants and criminals at his Karachi hospital on the behest of the three politicians arrested today. The latest arrests are likely to raise new accusations that Pakistan's powerful military is seeking to strengthen its grip on the country's largest and wealthiest city and weaken civilian parties. Most of the hundreds of people targeted by paramilitary forces in recent months on accusations of political corruption and violence have belonged to the MQM. The PPP has in the past condemned Hussain's arrest and called it politically motivated. The paramilitary Sindh Rangers have in the past said the Karachi crackdown is necessary to break the cycle of violence and corruption in a city that accounts for half of Pakistan's national revenues and hosts the stock exchange, central bank and two ports. Karachi has also long been a hub of violence often linked to political rivalry. (Reuters)

Pakistan arrests Karachi mayor-elect, two opposition politicians

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. &nbsp; 
 
Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan&#39;s stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. &nbsp; 
 
Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia&#39;s most popular singers of the &#39;qawwali&#39;, Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years.&nbsp; 
 
Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri&#39;s car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving,&quot; Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital,&quot; police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. &quot;He was shot three times.&quot; Police gave no further details.&nbsp; 
 
Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals.&nbsp; 
 
On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said.&nbsp; 
 
In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city.&nbsp; 
 
In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Sabri's murder comes close on the heels of the abduction of a provincial judge's son two days ago

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan's stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia's most popular singers of the 'qawwali', Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years. Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri's car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured. "Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving," Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. "Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital," police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. "He was shot three times." Police gave no further details. Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals. On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said. In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city. In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car. (Reuters)

Karachi: Pakistani Sufi singer Amjad Sabri shot dead

<div style="text-align: justify;">Last summer, temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius led to more than a thousand heat-related deaths in Karachi. This year, as it prepares for the peak of summer heat, the city has opened 179 heatstroke centres to try to hold down the death toll. 
 
Officials have also trained new ambulance drivers, and are working with utility companies to try to keep electricity and water flowing as the city&rsquo;s 24 million people battle summer heat during the month-long Islamic fast of Ramzan, when drinking water and eating is forbidden during daylight hours. 
 
Imams have said those whose lives&nbsp;are&nbsp;at risk due to a&nbsp;fast need not stick&nbsp;to it in extreme conditions. 
 
&ldquo;If a doctor says that your life is threatened due to the scorching heat, or you have a medical condition and it is going to get worse due to the fasting, then you can skip the daily fast,&rdquo; Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, an organisation of scholars and religious clerics, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. 
 
If any area of Pakistan is hit by extreme heat during Ramzan, which began June 7, the council will remind followers of this&nbsp;flexibility in public service media announcements, Ashrafi&nbsp;said. 
 
In Pakistan&rsquo;s southern Sindh province, temperatures have already hit 52 degree Celcius&nbsp;in Larkana, with Jacobabad and Moenjodaro just slightly cooler, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. 
 
In the port city of Karachi, where temperatures so far remain below 40 degrees Celsius, heat relief centres are open, providing drinking water to passersby. 
 
Last summer, more than 1,270 people died in Karachi, and nearly 36,000 were hospitalised or hit by water and electricity shortages during 13 consecutive days of scorching temperatures in June and July. 
 
Officials of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority-Sindh and the health department say they are better prepared to deal with extreme heat this year, but experts warn deaths are still a risk unless new measures work. 
 
Ghulam Rasul, director general Pakistan Meteorological Department, said a new early warning centre set up in Karachi in April aims to release warnings to government bodies, media and other organisations three days in advance of expected heat waves this year. 
 
&ldquo;We have already identified the most vulnerable areas in Karachi, with help of the district administration, to convey the warnings instantly and keep the people safe from sizzling temperatures,&rdquo; he said. 
 
The Met Office is also in touch with K-Electric, the main provider of electricity to around 20 million people in Karachi, and with the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to try to head off unscheduled water and power blackouts during heat waves. 
 
Such blackouts have already prompted near daily protests, including in slum areas, where the shortages are worst. 
 
In March and April, over 400 volunteers and ambulance drivers were trained to give first aid to heatstroke victims and get them to hospitals, said Ajay Kumar Sewani, assistant director for administration at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority-Sindh. 
 
He said that heat wave emergency first aid centres have been set up in almost all major cities of the province including Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mirpur and Sukkur. The centres offer oral rehydration solution, some medicines and ambulance services to nearby hospitals. 
 
The provincial disaster management authority has distributed a half million brochures and 6,000 banners in cities across Sindh in an effort to raise awareness about heat risks, he said. A radio and television advertisement campaign also is planned. 
 
The materials advise people to drink as much water as possible, avoid drinking dehydrating tea and coffee, try to stay inside or under a shade from 10 am to 4 pm and cover their heads with a cap during the daytime. 
 
It also offers advice on recognising the symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, and has telephone numbers for relief centres. 
 
&ldquo;Our aim is to ensure and guarantee zero deaths during the heat wave and we are prepared for it,&rdquo; Sewani said. 
 
Local media reported two heat wave-related deaths in Karachi during the last week of April, but they have yet to be officially confirmed. 
 
Some experts, however, say Sindh&rsquo;s plans are a good start but such measures need to be carried out effectively &ndash; and used throughout Pakistan. 
 
Heat-related deaths are preventable if the Met Office releases its forecast well in advance and district administrations have a proper management plan, said Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, chief executive officer of Lead Pakistan, a non-profit organisation in Islamabad. But so far that is not the case countrywide, he said. 
 
A crucial component of an effective heat wave management plan is a comprehensive institutional communication and coordination plan. &ldquo;This is important to prevent duplication of efforts and identify the most vulnerable areas,&rdquo; Sheikh&nbsp;said. 
 
Early users of Karachi&rsquo;s heat relief centres said they are already hugely helpful to students, commuters and pedestrians who stop by to drink water, rinse their faces and just cool off when temperatures soar. 
 
&ldquo;The district administration has made much better arrangements this time and we hope no one dies this Ramadan, unlike the last year,&rdquo; said Sumera Ambreen, 21, a medical student who stopped at a centre in North Nazimabad recently. 
(Reuters)</div>

Karachi rolls-out 179 heatstroke centres and trains ambulance drivers in attempt to control death toll due to the heat wave

Last summer, temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius led to more than a thousand heat-related deaths in Karachi. This year, as it prepares for the peak of summer heat, the city has opened 179 heatstroke centres to try to hold down the death toll. Officials have also trained new ambulance drivers, and are working with utility companies to try to keep electricity and water flowing as the city’s 24 million people battle summer heat during the month-long Islamic fast of Ramzan, when drinking water and eating is forbidden during daylight hours. Imams have said those whose lives are at risk due to a fast need not stick to it in extreme conditions. “If a doctor says that your life is threatened due to the scorching heat, or you have a medical condition and it is going to get worse due to the fasting, then you can skip the daily fast,” Muhammad Tahir Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, an organisation of scholars and religious clerics, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an interview. If any area of Pakistan is hit by extreme heat during Ramzan, which began June 7, the council will remind followers of this flexibility in public service media announcements, Ashrafi said. In Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, temperatures have already hit 52 degree Celcius in Larkana, with Jacobabad and Moenjodaro just slightly cooler, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. In the port city of Karachi, where temperatures so far remain below 40 degrees Celsius, heat relief centres are open, providing drinking water to passersby. Last summer, more than 1,270 people died in Karachi, and nearly 36,000 were hospitalised or hit by water and electricity shortages during 13 consecutive days of scorching temperatures in June and July. Officials of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority-Sindh and the health department say they are better prepared to deal with extreme heat this year, but experts warn deaths are still a risk unless new measures work. Ghulam Rasul, director general Pakistan Meteorological Department, said a new early warning centre set up in Karachi in April aims to release warnings to government bodies, media and other organisations three days in advance of expected heat waves this year. “We have already identified the most vulnerable areas in Karachi, with help of the district administration, to convey the warnings instantly and keep the people safe from sizzling temperatures,” he said. The Met Office is also in touch with K-Electric, the main provider of electricity to around 20 million people in Karachi, and with the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to try to head off unscheduled water and power blackouts during heat waves. Such blackouts have already prompted near daily protests, including in slum areas, where the shortages are worst. In March and April, over 400 volunteers and ambulance drivers were trained to give first aid to heatstroke victims and get them to hospitals, said Ajay Kumar Sewani, assistant director for administration at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority-Sindh. He said that heat wave emergency first aid centres have been set up in almost all major cities of the province including Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Mirpur and Sukkur. The centres offer oral rehydration solution, some medicines and ambulance services to nearby hospitals. The provincial disaster management authority has distributed a half million brochures and 6,000 banners in cities across Sindh in an effort to raise awareness about heat risks, he said. A radio and television advertisement campaign also is planned. The materials advise people to drink as much water as possible, avoid drinking dehydrating tea and coffee, try to stay inside or under a shade from 10 am to 4 pm and cover their heads with a cap during the daytime. It also offers advice on recognising the symptoms of heatstroke and heat exhaustion, and has telephone numbers for relief centres. “Our aim is to ensure and guarantee zero deaths during the heat wave and we are prepared for it,” Sewani said. Local media reported two heat wave-related deaths in Karachi during the last week of April, but they have yet to be officially confirmed. Some experts, however, say Sindh’s plans are a good start but such measures need to be carried out effectively – and used throughout Pakistan. Heat-related deaths are preventable if the Met Office releases its forecast well in advance and district administrations have a proper management plan, said Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, chief executive officer of Lead Pakistan, a non-profit organisation in Islamabad. But so far that is not the case countrywide, he said. A crucial component of an effective heat wave management plan is a comprehensive institutional communication and coordination plan. “This is important to prevent duplication of efforts and identify the most vulnerable areas,” Sheikh said. Early users of Karachi’s heat relief centres said they are already hugely helpful to students, commuters and pedestrians who stop by to drink water, rinse their faces and just cool off when temperatures soar. “The district administration has made much better arrangements this time and we hope no one dies this Ramadan, unlike the last year,” said Sumera Ambreen, 21, a medical student who stopped at a centre in North Nazimabad recently. (Reuters)

Karachi opens heat relief centres

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