ISLAMABAD: Punjab and Islamabad are expected to receive more rainfall today, while the Meteorological Department has forecast drizzle along the coastal areas of Sindh, including Karachi.
Meanwhile, devastating floods caused by heavy rains have wreaked havoc in the Diamer district of Gilgit-Baltistan, severely affecting several areas such as Niat Valley, Loshi, Babusar, and Gas Bala.
The Karakoram Highway has been closed to traffic at Gini due to the flooding. In Chitral, rehabilitation work is ongoing in flood-hit areas including UC Baroz, Garam Chishma, Shasha, and Gambis Gol, whereas the Mastuj-Gilgit road has been reopened for small vehicles.
Rainfall Extremes and Climate Shift
Over the past five years, Pakistan’s rainfall patterns have experienced intense volatility, characterized by sharp swings between historic droughts and catastrophic floods driven by climate change.
The turning point occurred during the catastrophic 2022 monsoon season, which shattered historical records by delivering unprecedented national rainfall—nearly three times normal levels—submerging a third of the country and displacing millions.
This extreme high marked an apex in erratic precipitation trends.
Following 2022, the subsequent years witnessed varying extremes, oscillating from localized dry spells and significantly below-average winter precipitation in 2025 to sudden, intense cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), and recurring urban and rural flooding in northern and central regions.
These contrasting extremes underscore Pakistan’s extreme vulnerability to global climate shifts.
Consecutive years of erratic weather have severely tested the nation’s agricultural resilience, water management systems, and disaster response infrastructure, transforming seasonal rainfall into a recurring humanitarian and economic challenge.
