KARACHI: Government and private offices in Karachi will operate for a half-day on Friday, March 1st, as announced by the newly-elected Sindh Chief Minister, Murad Ali Shah. Concurrently, educational institutions will remain closed, with the chief minister declaring a rain emergency in the metropolitan area.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has alerted that a robust westerly wave is anticipated to approach western regions on February 29th, potentially enveloping most parts of the country on March 1st and persisting until March 2nd. Accordingly, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Larkana, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Khairpur, and Mirpurkhas are forecasted to experience rain, wind, and thunderstorms on February 29th and March 1st, with isolated hailstorms also probable during this period.
The decision to institute a half-day schedule was made during a meeting chaired by the chief minister to evaluate the potential impact of the impending rains. During the meeting, DG PDMA Salman Shah reported that the city could receive rainfall ranging from 16 to 32 mm within a 12-hour timeframe on March 1st.
In response, the chief minister has directed all relevant authorities to undertake necessary measures to prevent any adverse situations from arising.
