Pakistan has witnessed extreme weather patterns in recent years, resulting in both human and economic losses. In Karachi, for example, citizens are seen joking about being the ‘first in their family’ to wear warm clothes in April, as heavy rainfall and strong winds led to a drop in temperature. But while one city is witnessing a drop, others are bracing for warm temperatures. This disparity is one of the many examples of climate change. A new report suggests that, while the international community strives to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, Pakistan appears to already be breaching some extreme-temperature thresholds despite its minimal contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has reported that the nation experienced several temperature extremes during the recently concluded month of March.
The country-level nighttime (minimum) temperature of 14.7 C was 2.7 degrees C warmer than the countrywide average of 12 degrees C and ranked second-highest. The highest recorded temperature of 15 C was in 2022. It is rather disappointing to see that, while the country is getting wrecked by extreme weather, the government has so far shown no urgency to tackle the crisis. In 2015, Karachi witnessed its worst heatwave, resulting in the official deaths of around 1,000 people. That could have been a wakeup call for authorities to make the city greener and take steps that could bring down temperatures. But the opposite is true. Whatever green land remains is eventually bulldozed to fulfil real-estate ambitions, leaving no cooling mechanism for the earth. The situation is the same in the rest of the country, too.
The combination of an early-March heatwave followed by recent unseasonable rains and gusty winds has dealt a significant blow to the wheat crop in patches across Punjab. Both farmers and government officials are now expressing concerns over potential output losses. These unusual wet weather conditions have raised doubts regarding the country’s ability to meet its national production targets. As unpredictable weather continues to affect both urban life and agricultural output, such patterns risk becoming an unfortunate norm. It is crucial for authorities to respond to these growing climate pressures immediately. Pakistan should invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, expand urban green spaces to reduce heat and strictly regulate deforestation and unchecked real-estate development. Strengthening early warning systems and disaster preparedness can help minimise human losses, while supporting farmers with climate-adaptive crops and irrigation methods can protect food security. At the policy level, a stronger commitment to renewable energy and the effective implementation of environmental laws are essential to building long-term resilience.
