And then the situation deteriorated further: Karachi is currently dealing with a swarm of flies. These insects are prevalent in all areas of the city, including neighborhoods, markets, and stores, affecting everyone. They are a nuisance on sidewalks, entering and exiting establishments and vehicles, and landing on various surfaces such as produce and individuals. Flies and flooding often coincide, and Karachi has experienced both. Dr. Seemin Jamali, executive director of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, described this as the most severe fly infestation she has ever seen. “There are large groups of flies and mosquitoes,” she mentioned. “It’s not just impacting the average person’s life - they are so intimidating; they are harassing people. It’s impossible to walk in a straight line on the street because there are so many flies everywhere.” 

In Karachi, Pakistan, on August 28, 2019, flies were seen on produce at a market. The city faced heavy rains, poor drainage, and a garbage issue - leading to an increase in bugs. Despite a fumigation effort by the city, the flies continue to be a problem, causing growing frustration among residents. The city's ongoing issues with garbage and drainage, which have been used as ammunition by political factions for years, are now gaining renewed attention and anger. The recent infestation of bugs in Karachi, Pakistan, is believed to be a result of stagnant rainwater combined with garbage on the streets and waste from the recent Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha. According to experts, the heavy rainfall in the city was not unusual. He explained that the heavy rains in Karachi highlighted the city's ongoing problems with urban development, sewage, solid waste management, and water contamination, as well as the issue of using natural drains as dumping grounds for waste. Ahmed warned that if there are more rain spells like this, the city could become completely dysfunctional. In the Bohri Bazaar in Karachi, flies cover a man's hat, symbolizing the city's current issues with heavy rains, poor drainage, garbage, and now, a widespread presence of bugs. Jamali also noted that the unsanitary conditions in Karachi have led to an increase in various medical ailments and diseases such as malaria, gastroenteritis, typhoid, dengue fever, the chikungunya virus, respiratory disorders, and Congo fever. Flies cover a man's hat in the Bohri Bazaar in Karachi, Pakistan on August 28, 2019. The city's heavy rains, poor drainage, and garbage problem have led to a widespread infestation of bugs. A local resident acknowledged the community's role in the issue, pointing out how sacrificial animal waste is dumped on the streets, contributing to the piles of garbage. Vendors in the bazaar are seen fanning their products in an attempt to keep the flies away, as the insects swarm in and out of shops and settle on various displays. Muhammad Ismail Siddiqui, aged 54, sells traditional sweets such as jalebi and gulab jamun. To protect his products, he covers them with clear plastic. He mentioned that flies are not just a seasonal problem and in the past, the government used to organize fumigation drives early in the day. However, currently, there is no such assistance available, leaving vendors feeling helpless as their businesses suffer. "Anyone who arrives simply observes the presence of flies." 

Flies can be seen in a meat market located in the Empress Market in Karachi, Pakistan on August 28, 2019. The city's issues with heavy rainfall, poor drainage, and garbage disposal have led to a widespread infestation of bugs. Politicians in Karachi have been quick to point fingers at each other for the sanitation problems, using it as a rallying cry and a political tool. The largest city in Pakistan is facing a multitude of challenges including heavy rains, poor drainage, and a garbage issue which has now led to a widespread infestation of bugs. The ruling party at the national level, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is making efforts to strengthen its presence in Karachi in order to challenge the dominance of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) at the provincial level. A local PTI legislator initiated a "Let's Clean Karachi" campaign, indirectly blaming the PPP for the garbage problem. However, PPP senator Saeed Ghani argues that the campaign has only exacerbated the crisis due to poorly managed cleanup efforts. Cleaning up Karachi, where garbage is commonly seen piled up on streets and in vacant lots, would be a challenging and costly task. Karachi, with a population of over 15 million residents, generates approximately 12,000 tons of waste daily. The city's resources and infrastructure have not been able to keep pace with its rapid expansion, population growth, and changing lifestyles. Additionally, Karachi is facing similar climate change challenges as the rest of Pakistan. The city's recent heavy rains, poor drainage systems, and garbage issue have led to an infestation of flies in markets. The management of Karachi is intricate and divided, with waste management and municipal services being handled by separate agencies. Buildings are often built over drains, and certain areas of the city, even upscale neighborhoods, are managed separately as cantonment areas. As a result of heavy rains, poor drainage, and a garbage issue, Karachi is now facing a widespread infestation of bugs. Ahmed, an expert on water issues, expressed concern about the decreasing livability of Karachi. He stated that the city urgently needs a sanitation emergency to address the waste accumulation in streets and drains, and to establish a new sanitation management system. This would require politicians to work together, but the bugs do not seem to respect political boundaries. Ismail Lalpuria, a furniture trader in the Arambagh area of Saddar, complained about the high number of flies affecting his business. He stated that all the political parties are engaged in politics without actually getting any work done.