‘Global warming affecting climate change in Pakistan’

[Naveed Yaseen]

Extreme weather is bound to prevail in Pakistan during 2009 due to global warming, while there are possibilities of drought in many parts of the country, University of Karachi (KU) Institute of Environmental Studies chief Dr Moazzam Ali Khan, told PPI.

“It is difficult to say whether the recent cold wave in the country is occurring due to global warming because these are relapses which occur at the end of every winter season which bring back chilling weather,” said Khan. However, the possibility of climatological pattern change could not be ruled out, which might have some connection with sudden weather change, said Khan. ‘’We could expect extreme weather condition throughout this year.” He said that abnormal conditions have been occurring in the country, as two years ago, temperature dropped to -2 degree centigrade in Lahore. Similarly there was no monsoon in 2008 in Karachi but heavy rains lashed the city in 2006, he added.

The expectation of extreme heat is present, as a heat zone has developed from Balochistan to Punjab invariably during the summers, he said. ‘’We could not find the reason behind the developing of this heat zone as there is very little research available on it.” He added that there are possibilities that drought will occur in many parts of the country.

Similar views were shared by an expert at the Meteorological Department, as a cold wave gripped Karachi once again on Friday, triggering chilly weather for the metropolis. The cold wave started blowing in the city due to heavy snowfall that occurred during the past rainy weather over the mountains in Balochistan, Northern Areas, Kashmir and Murree, said Chief Meteorologist Mohmmad Riaz.

He dispelled the impression that the recent cold wave was due to global climate change. The weather pattern has changed and extreme weather would persist off and on, he added. Riaz said that Karachi is under the grip of cold wave, especially due to the wind blowing from the west side. He added that cold weather would continue for the next 24 to 36 hours. He said that there are chances that the temperature would drop again by the end of this month.

He added that further drop in temperature depends on the snowfall in the western and northern parts of the country. The effect of global warming would prevail throughout the year as there are predictions that extreme weather, both cold and hot, would prevail in respective seasons, he said. He said that temperature would rise up to 46 to 48 degree centigrade during the summers, as it naturally rises especially in interior Sindh. He said that the chances of drought could not be overruled due to extreme weather in certain areas of the country.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=161463