LAHORE: Pakistan’s most populous province is facing an unprecedented spell of extreme weather, with experts warning that without a comprehensive climate policy, severe rainfall and flooding could soon become the “new normal.”
Like many nations in the Global South, Pakistan is feeling the full force of climate change. While heatwaves have long been the most visible sign, this year’s prolonged and intense monsoon season has raised fresh concerns among meteorologists. Rising temperatures in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean are feeding more moisture into the monsoon system, resulting in heavier and more frequent downpours.
Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) spokesperson Chaudhry Mazhar said the monsoon began unusually early this year — on June 25 instead of the typical July 15 start — with rains far stronger than previous seasons. “Every downpour this year has broken previous records, and the monsoon is now expected to last until at least mid-September,” he warned.
According to the Meteorological Department and PDMA, Chakwal recorded 423mm of rain in just 24 hours between July 16 and 17 — the highest single-day total anywhere in Punjab this season. In the first half of July alone, rainfall in Punjab exceeded normal levels by 73 percent. Overall, the province has received 30–36 percent more rain than average this monsoon, with totals already surpassing 1,000mm against a seasonal norm of 800–900mm. Projections suggest the figure could reach 1,200mm by season’s end.
Despite early warnings from weather agencies, local administrations were largely unprepared, treating the heavy rains as a natural disaster rather than a foreseeable outcome of shifting climate patterns.
Climate change expert Dr Saadia Khalid noted that monsoon systems are now taking “unconventional routes,” bringing heavy rain to areas historically spared from such intensity. She warned that urbanisation, deforestation, and poor land-use practices have stripped cities of their natural drainage capacity, making urban flooding more frequent and severe.
Experts stress that urgent action is needed — including cutting carbon emissions, improving land management, and implementing a robust climate policy — to mitigate the growing threat. Without it, Punjab may have to brace for a future where extreme weather is no longer an exception, but the rule.
