In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, the sun is an ever-present force, sometimes making it hard to even be outside. Every summer, the city suffers from heat waves causing dozens if not hundreds of deaths each year. Residents and medical personnel recall shocking scenes during the heat wave of 2015, when temperatures rose beyond 45ºC and over 1300 people died as a result. The city's biggest morgue had to turn away bodies and cemeteries ran out of space to bury the dead.
Karachi's climate is undeniably harsh, but the impact of the heat has been exacerbated by the lack of shade in the city's public spaces. While walking outside, it is difficult to find a path that does not expose one to the blistering sun. The impact of the lack of shade is felt primarily by the already vulnerable populations, such as the city's working class and the homeless. Construction workers, hawkers, street food vendors, garbage collectors and the kabari, (recyclable collectors), have to work outdoors, often unprotected from the sun, regardless of the temperature.
In a city where so many work outdoor jobs and depend on daily wages, shade should be a priority for urban planning. Yet, it is almost completely neglected. Perhaps this is because unlike floods and earthquakes, which compel government action and donation drives, a constant oppressive heat is not a highly-visible catastrophe and does not obviously disrupt economic growth. Unlike terrorist attacks, heat waves do not hurt Pakistan's image. After each major terrorist attack, walls are raised, barbed wire is put in place, and military operations begin. However, when over 1300 people perished in a weeklong heat wave in Karachi, despite a lot of talk on the need to combat climate change and increase the green cover in the city, no meaningful steps were taken. Instead of long-term planning to ameliorate the effects of heat, officials merely warned residents to stay indoors and asked hospitals to prepare extra beds.
However, staying 'inside' is not a choice that is available to all. For those who live in air-conditioned homes, travel by air-conditioned vehicles, and work office jobs, this recommendation is useful. However, for a much larger portion of the population, the 'inside', whether it is of a home or a vehicle, is not easily accessible.