The Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has warned of a looming catastrophe in the metropolis and urged the Sindh Government to immediately declare an emergency, as record-breaking monsoon rains have devastated Karachi, leaving 17 people dead, crippling infrastructure, and plunging businesses into crisis.

In a joint statement, Chairman Businessmen Group (BMG) Zubair Motiwala and KCCI President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani lamented that despite Karachi being the country’s economic lifeline, the city continues to suffer neglect and poor reinvestment in its infrastructure. They recalled that KCCI had forewarned provincial authorities through letters in April, urging timely cleaning of Gujjar, Orangi, Manzoor Colony, Lyari, and Orangabad nullahs, but their concerns were not addressed with urgency.

Motiwala underlined that the city has been brought to its knees, with streets turned into rivers, homes inundated, and shopkeepers suffering irrecoverable losses. He demanded immediate compensation for small businesses and called for a freeze on provincial taxes in light of the devastation. He assured that KCCI stands firmly with shopkeepers and is prepared to serve as a bridge between the affected community and the government to ensure relief reaches those most in need.

Highlighting damage to industries, he noted that production has been paralyzed as power supply by K-Electric remained suspended for over 36 hours. Both residential and industrial areas have faced repeated tripping since the rains began, leaving citizens and businesses helpless. He proposed deferring electricity and gas bill payments until normalcy is restored.

President KCCI Jawed Bilwani cautioned that Karachi had received nearly 250 mm of rainfall this week, far exceeding its drainage capacity. He stressed that every passing hour without decisive action was deepening the crisis. The unprecedented downpour forced the closure of educational institutions, industries, and businesses, causing billions of rupees in losses to provincial and national economies.

Bilwani urged the Sindh Government, KMC, PDMA, district administrations, K-Electric, and other civic agencies to work under a unified chain of command and launch a massive 24-hour operation to clear nullahs and stormwater drains. He emphasized the need for rescue teams, dewatering machinery, emergency shelters, and public awareness campaigns to protect citizens in vulnerable areas.

The KCCI leaders underscored that Karachi, a city of 25 million people and the economic engine of Pakistan, cannot continue to endure preventable disasters year after year. They called for a long-term master plan for drainage and flood management, warning that if Karachi sinks, the entire economy will sink with it.