Karachi's heat bill lands on the poor

Karachi’s urban footprint grew by roughly 32% from 2010 to 2025, reaching more than 1,400 square kilometres, according to satellite analysis cited in an official SUPARCO note reported by The Express Tribune. The change reflects the replacement of farms, grazing land and open areas with buildings and other development, while raising concerns about hotter neighbourhoods, water shortages and drainage limits.

Urban planner M Toheed said the effects fall hardest on residents with few ways to escape indoor heat. He estimated that 62% to 70% of Karachi’s population lives in informal settlements, and described crowded homes with metal-sheet roofs and limited ventilation. The report also recounts electricity cuts lasting up to 18 hours in Baba Bhit Island, alongside outages in other areas. SUPARCO warned that diminished ground absorption and drainage could worsen flooding during heavy monsoon rain, citing Karachi’s 2020 floods.