The Met Department has forecast continued hot and dry weather across most parts of Pakistan. The central and southern regions are expected to experience exceptionally high temperatures, intensifying the ongoing heatwave.

In Islamabad and surrounding areas, the weather will remain hot and dry on Tuesday, with dusty winds and squalls likely to prevail after noon. These conditions are part of a broader trend affecting various regions of the country.

Rising temperatures

In Sindh and Punjab, daytime temperatures are projected to rise 4 to 6 degrees Celsius above normal from May 21 to 23. This temperature increase is expected to intensify, reaching 6 to 8 degrees Celsius above normal from May 23 to 27.

Similar temperature anomalies are anticipated in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Balochistan, where daytime temperatures will be 4 to 6 degrees Celsius higher than average during the same period.

Cholistan water crisis

The heatwave's impact is acutely felt in Cholistan, where over 2,000 water storage ponds have dried up. This severe water scarcity has disrupted routine life, with both humans and animals facing a critical shortage of drinking water. As a result, shepherds residing in remote areas of Cholistan have begun migrating in search of water and better living conditions.

The drying up of water sources in Cholistan has forced local herdsmen to leave their homes, highlighting the severe consequences of the ongoing heatwave. The lack of water not only threatens the livelihood of these communities but also endangers the health and survival of their livestock.

Crisis management

Meanwhile, in view of the fear of the heatwave escalating, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority has issued an alert on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. According to a briefing provided in a meeting chaired by PDMA DG Irfan Ali Kathia, water bowers were being provided in Thal and Cholistan.

Mr Kathia said 4/4 water tankers have been provided for the desert areas, adding that each tanker could hold up to 12,000 liters of water. "The heatwave is likely to persist in Punjab till May 27," he cautioned.