Staff Reporter
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has rejected reports circulated on social media that said the air quality in Karachi would deteriorate to ‘poisonous’ levels during the next three days. “Panic has been created by some media outlets claiming that poisonous winds carrying deadly gases from north-east would pollute Karachi during next three days. This is totally wrong and misleading,” said Sardar Sarfraz of the PMD.
Social media has been rife with rumours of poisonous gases in the air such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide travelling to Karachi in the next couple of days. However, this is not true. Meteorologist Jawad Memon said this news was alarmist and false while talking to media on Friday.
Though the air would be filled with pollutants such as dust and sand particles, there won’t be any toxic gases present, he said. However, this air can still make people sick. Memon advised people to wear protective masks while going outside. Those who have asthma or allergies should be especially cautious. The rapid changes in temperature were also the reason most people were getting sick with the cold and flu. Since these variations will continue, Memon said more people might face breathing problems.
During the next couple of days Karachi’s temperature can go up to 28 to 29 degrees in the daytime, Memon predicted. But from January 27, the city would experience another cold wave.
“We’ll again see temperatures in single digits—nine to 10 degrees. Usually the cold lasts till mid-February but we believe it’ll last till the end of February or the first week of March,” the meteorologist said.
This year, Karachi has been the coldest it has been in seven to eight years, he said.
