Karachi’s worsening urban heat is emerging as a serious public health concern, with experts warning that immediate action is needed to prevent a larger crisis. According to Prof. Zafar Fatmi, the city’s growing heat intensity is being driven by both climate change and rapid urban expansion, making daily life increasingly difficult for residents.
Speaking about the issue, Prof. Fatmi, who leads environmental occupational health and climate change research at Aga Khan University, said Karachi’s landscape is changing in ways that trap more heat. Expanding concrete structures, dense construction, traffic congestion, shrinking green spaces, and widespread tree loss are causing urban areas to absorb and retain higher temperatures than surrounding regions.
Recent research highlights the scale of the problem. A 2026 multi-city study found that Karachi recorded the strongest urban heat island effect among major Pakistani cities. The study showed an urban-rural temperature difference of approximately 4.5 degrees Celsius, linking reduced vegetation cover with rising land surface temperatures across the city.
The impact is even more severe at ground level. Research conducted in Karachi revealed that delivery riders, rickshaw drivers, and other outdoor workers often experience temperatures significantly higher than official weather readings, particularly when working under direct sunlight. Prof. Fatmi noted that signs of heat stress are already becoming more common, including dehydration, headaches, dizziness, fatigue, poor sleep, and fainting episodes.
The risks are especially high for vulnerable groups such as children, elderly citizens, pregnant women, traffic police officers, street vendors, construction workers, delivery riders, and residents living in poorly ventilated homes. Individuals suffering from heart disease, diabetes, kidney disorders, lung conditions, and high blood pressure are also more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
Prof. Fatmi warned that the situation becomes even more dangerous when extreme heat combines with Karachi’s air pollution. He stressed that the city urgently needs a comprehensive heat-health action plan featuring public awareness campaigns, shaded bus stops, drinking water stations, cooling centers, school heatwave guidelines, and improved hospital preparedness. He also called for long-term measures including protecting trees, expanding green spaces, reducing unnecessary concrete development, improving public transport, controlling emissions, and making heat assessments mandatory for major urban projects.
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