Keeping in view the experience of the heat wave calamity that had hit Karachi in 2015 and claimed hundreds of lives, this year, too, an alert has been issued on the possibility of harsh weather conditions in the coming days. According the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), extreme hot weather will persist in Karachi and locals have been advised to take precautionary measures to beat the heat. Meanwhile health facilities across the provincial capital have been put on alert to cope with any emergency situation. It has been reported in the media that the temperature is likely to soar 42 degrees Celsius this week. Sensing the impending danger, the concerned local and provincial authorities are already preparing for the situation to come. An unexpected change in weather is not a new phenomenon. Our country has been experiencing these disasters associated with climate change for the last few years. Climate change is now a globally acknowledged problem. The scientific community believes that global warming is a very real and immediate problem and the solution lies in increasing forest cover and reducing pollution from fossil fuels. While most other countries have adapted to climate change and have been able to manage freak weather incidents, Pakistan has not caught up. It is still ill-equipped to deal with any calamity. A pro-active approach is needed to tackle extreme weather conditions. If the heat wave in Karachi can teach us anything, it is that the government needs to enhance the ability of its institutions to predict and manage crises before they arise — anything less is intolerable negligence. The suffering of ordinary Pakistanis during summer should not be forgotten by those in power. Citizens brave sweltering weather conditions coupled with frequent power outages on a daily basis during each summer. Despite repeated promises to increase electricity generation by the government, load shedding and power failures across the country keep exacerbating. Although the government cannot stop natural calamities, surely it can take means to alleviate some of the most deadly aspects of summer in Pakistan. *