Karachi, Sept. 19 -- Karachi's fragile infrastructure has once again collapsed under the weight of seasonal rains, leaving residents questioning both the scale of the damage and the government's lack of response.

While heavy rainfall is not unusual for the city, this year's downpour has highlighted how deeply unprepared civic authorities remain to manage urban flooding, damaged roads, and rising inflation that is hitting the poorest the hardest.

Residents reported that roads in Karachi were already riddled with pits and cracks before the rains began, but the latest spell has worsened conditions drastically.

"Now we don't even know where the pits are because the roads are filled with water," senior Pakistani journalist Shams Kareeo stat...