Wasim Akram, Sindh minister engage in Twitter row over Karachi rain

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram on Monday reacted strongly to Sindh Information Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah after the politician had lashed out at the cricketer on criticising the authorities over the Karachi situation after the third spell of rain.

Taking to Twitter, Akram said: “The people of Pakistan should be able to celebrate the rain, not mourn over it! Mix my words however you like but too many people suffer every year because of this problem, and that is what kills me.”

Earlier, the Sindh's information minister had hit out at the former skipper, who had expressed disappointment over urban flooding in Karachi following a spell of rain.

Responding to the former fast bowler, Shah invited Akram to visit Karachi and "inspect [the] streets of Karachi and see how water has been drained from all roads". 

Shah lashed out at the former left-arm pacer, saying that if he had tweeted on the Karachi rain situation on things he had heard and not seen for himself, then he had "disappointed millions of people in Sindh".

"I invite my neighbor Wasim Akram 2 come wid me now n inspect streets of Khi n c how water has been drained 4m all roads.I’m sure tht if u r sincere then u’ll defntly go n if u’ve tweeted on hearsay then thr is no one more irspnsbl than u bcz u’ve disapntd millions of ppl in Sindh," he tweeted.

As video clips of several locations around Karachi flooded with rainwater and gutters overflowing started to go viral on social media, Akram had taken to Twitter to call for addressing Karachi's problem.

"Seeing the footage of Karachi underwater and my heart goes out to all affected. I can’t say I’m not surprised that this has happened yet again. A wake up call? No it’s a problem that needs to be addressed period! We need to fix our beautiful city," he tweeted.

However, Shah insisted that people were sharing old images and clips of urban flooding in Karachi. He said that the city’s majority areas had been cleared of rainwater and a wrong impression was being created due to “the sharing of photographs of the previous rain-related incidents on social media”

Four people die from electrocution in Karachi

At least four people died on Sunday and more than 550 K-Electric (KE) feeders tripped as a third spell of rain lashed the city.

According to police, the deaths all occurred due to electrocution in separate incidents across the city. Among the victims was a 10-year-old child, a resident of Gulshan-e-Hadeed Phase 2, a 22-year-old living in Landhi's Qadhafi Town, and another person from the Garden area's Fawwara Chowk neighbourhood, rescue officials said.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had last week forecast a third spell of monsoon in Karachi with heavy rain and thunderstorms in the port city between July 26 and July 27.

Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulistan-e-Johar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, FB Area, Liaquatabad, PIB Colony, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Korangi, and Old City Area were all reported to be without power as the rain started early afternoon.