This summer's heatwave in Pakistan was the worst in more than 30 years, and caused the deaths of more than 1,200 people in Karachi alone. The city is an urban heat island that can reach temperatures up to 15 °C warmer than those of its rural surroundings. Urgent and fundamental reform of local governance is needed to protect the city's population of 22 million.

Despite the 2010 Sindh High Density Development Board Act, high-rise development in Karachi has continued unabated. Besides obstructing life-saving sea breezes, these developments compound the city's water and electricity shortages. Buildings are poorly ventilated and cheaply constructed from materials that are unable to cope with extreme temperatures.