The Sindh government has warned that it will file murder cases against the city's fundamental power supplier, K-Electric (KE), if loadshedding is revealed to be the cause of the inexplicable fatalities reported in recent days.
Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, while expressing sorrow over multiple deaths reported in Karachi in recent days, stated that an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of these deaths and that KE would be held accountable if power outages were determined to be the cause.
"Murder cases will be filed against KE managers and officials," the minister announced.
Lanjar's statements came after the number of deaths recorded in Karachi reached 22 on Tuesday.
The city has been besieged by extreme hot weather, with temperatures reaching 42°C and "feels-like" hitting 50°C earlier this week.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has projected that hot and humid weather will persist in the coming days.
The harsh weather conditions have been aggravated by 12 to 14 hours of loadshedding in various places, adding to Karachiites' suffering.
Around 150 heatstroke victims have been transported to Karachi's Civil Hospital in the last several days, with 40 individuals still admitted due to the extreme heat, according to media reports.
Despite the public outrage, KE has claimed that 70% of its network is "load-shedding-free."