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KARACHI: An intense heatwave has gripped Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, particularly its commercial capital of Karachi, as the mercury rose above 40 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warning that the weather conditions will prevail in the region for another two days.
The warning comes amid increasingly unpredictable climate patterns across South Asia, with Karachi experiencing more frequent and intense heatwaves in recent years — a trend that climate experts attribute to broader shifts caused by global warming.
The situation underscores rising concerns over the city’s preparedness for extreme weather events, amid growing calls for stronger climate adaptation policies, increased urban tree cover and more effective public awareness campaigns.
“Prevailing heatwave condition is likely to continue in Karachi division with daytime maximum temperatures are likely 4-6°C above normal till tomorrow,” the PMD said in a statement.
“Hot/very hot and dry weather prevails over most parts of the province.”
It advised people, especially women, children and the elderly, to stay indoors, avoid direct sunlight and stay well-hydrated. The maximum temperature predicted for Tuesday was 41°C, followed by 40°C on Wednesday and 39°C on Thursday.
Zaheer Abbas, a laborer in Karachi, said the scorching heat had severely affected daily life. 
“A poor person who pushes a cart can’t even work in this weather,” he told AFP.
Experts say rising temperatures are part of a broader trend linked to climate change, straining Karachi’s infrastructure and putting vulnerable populations at risk.
Iqra Ali, a Karachi student, said she was trying not to leave home unnecessarily.
“It’s hot,” she said. “For this, the more a person stays hydrated, it will be better.”
Pakistan has witnessed frequent, erratic changes in its weather patterns, including floods, droughts, cyclones, torrential rainstorms, heatwaves and the slow-onset threat of glacial melting, in recent years that scientists have blamed on human-driven climate change.
In 2022, unusually heavy rains triggered floods in many parts of the country, killing over 1,700 people, inflicting economic losses of around $30 billion and affecting at least 30 million people.
— With additional input from AFP

DUBAI: Dubai Basketball continues their dream debut season with a last-minute comeback, securing a 87-82 victory over Croatian side Split on Sunday night at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

This secured their 11th consecutive victory, taking their win-loss record to an impressive 23-5. With just one home game remaining before the playoffs, the team has cemented its place as one of the standout teams of the season.

Dubai Basketball delivered a dominant first half, outscoring Split with quick offensive blows and solid defense. Dubai Basketball’s “Latvian Laser” Davis Bertans led the scoring with 25 points, earning the title of the night’s hero after a clinical shooting display.

“Our first half was very, very good,” said head coach, Jurica Golemac, after the match. “We played with intent, we executed well, and we were in control. But then, we thought it was finished, and Split didn’t give up. We gave them the chance and the hope that they could win this game.”

With momentum shifting, Dubai’s rhythm appeared to falter toward the final minutes of the game. “We started to not move the ball,” Golemac said. “We missed a couple of open shots. We played basket to basket, and that’s never good. They got momentum, and they were scoring tough shots — even with good defense.”

Split seized the opportunity with a burst of energy in the second half, clawing back from a 12-point deficit and even taking a narrow lead at one point in the final quarter. Their head coach shared his half-time message, telling his players to “to take control of our lives — (the game) is in our own hands.”

As the game tightened, Golemac made a decisive move, bringing on fan favorite Nemanja Dangubic to help the team from deep in the court. The city’s commanding forward responded immediately.

“In the end, I have to give credit to the players,” Golemac said. “We managed. We never gave up. With defense, we won the game. And with the great help of our fans, they never gave up on us, and they gave us the extra energy when we needed it.”

Reflecting on the team’s recent run of success, Golemac said: “This is the 11th game in a row that we are winning. The last couple of weeks we had easier victories, and I think everyone expected that tonight would be the same — especially after the way the game started. But as I always say, we play for 40 minutes. Not 10, not 12, not even 38. We play for 40.

“It’s hard to stay at a high-level week after week,” he said. “Now we need to analyze what went wrong, look at what we can improve, and get back to work in practice to prepare for the next game.”