A few hours of heavy rain on Tuesday exposed the city administration’s shortcomings, throwing Karachi’s traffic system into chaos and leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours on major roads.

Traffic ground to a halt on key arteries including Defence Korangi Road, Qayyumabad Chowrangi, and University Road, where potholes and accumulated rainwater created massive logjams.

Similar gridlocks were reported from Sharea Faisal, Karsaz to Drigh Road, Jahangir Road, Teen Hatti, Gulbahar, Gharibabad, Essa Nagri, Hasan Square, and the Baloch Pul.

Long queues of vehicles stretched across the Lyari Expressway, where the track from Garden to Sohrab Goth was completely choked.

Commuters voiced anger at both the traffic police and city administration, saying their mismanagement worsened the situation.

“Thousands of vehicles were stuck for hours. Women, the elderly, and even ambulances carrying patients were trapped,” one frustrated resident told reporters.

Citizens said the combination of rain-damaged roads and poor traffic management had effectively “paralysed” Karachi once again.

In Sharea Faisal, visibility dropped to near zero due to heavy downpour, while neighbourhoods including Defence, Malir, Shah Faisal Colony, Shah Latif Town, Landhi, and Gulistan-e-Jauhar also saw intense rainfall.

University Road turned into a pond, further disrupting movement.

Separately, in Akhtar Colony, strong winds and rain caused an illegally installed three-storey-high signboard to tilt dangerously, raising fears of casualties or property damage.

Residents noted that despite Sindh High Court orders, hazardous billboards had not been removed.

Tuesday’s chaos underscored yet again how even short spells of rain can cripple Pakistan’s financial hub, with citizens left stranded and furious at what they call chronic neglect and incompetence by the authorities.