As temperatures soar up to 52°C, Pakistan struggles to protect its people from the heat
Large parts of Pakistan are in the grip of a severe heatwave, with the worst of it in the southern province of Sindh this week.
A Pakistani man beats the heat with a large bottle of water.
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
ISLAMABAD: For the past 10 days, nine-year-old Saad Shahzad has had his father’s permission to skip school so he can escape the sun.
The heat in Pakistan has gotten too oppressive. Large parts of the country are in the grip of a severe heatwave, with the mercury climbing to a staggering 52 degrees Celsius in the southern province of Sindh this week.
Saad lives on the outskirts of the capital Islamabad, where temperatures are expected to remain sky-high as summer approaches.
Due to the scorching heat, Saad is allowed to spend his days in his father’s bakery instead of attending lessons.
“My son's school doesn't have air conditioners, so it can get very hot and hard for the kids to cope in this heat. He's been complaining and saying it's too hot to be in school,” said his father Shazad, who owns Saud Bakery.
“At least here, I can make sure he's sitting inside and under a fan,” he added.
Saad said that his teachers take good care of them but choose to send the children home if they feel ill.
“It's so hot, I feel unwell. I feel sick even when I travel on the motorcycle with my father for a short distance,” he told CNA.
Saad’s primary school is among hundreds of government, publicly-run institutions in Islamabad that have remained open during the heatwave - but only for four hours a day.
Schools in several other parts of the country have completely shut due to the heat, which is 8 degrees Celsius above what is normal for this time of the year.
The school closures have affected 26 million children, with parents saying that more should be done to minimise disruption to their children's studies.
One father told CNA that schools should come up with indoor-learning activities like online classes, which would allow them to continue learning at home.
MORE POWER CUTS
Frequent power cuts are also increasingly common as demand for electricity surges in the summer months. Mr Shazad said that the power goes out for 30 minutes to an hour.
“We can handle it for now, but as it gets hotter, we expect more blackouts,” he added.
The debt-hit country had struggled to implement a heat action plan to protect its 240 million people.
The government has been running awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers of heatwaves, while officials have urged people to stay hydrated, cover their heads when stepping out, and to wear loose clothing.
They have also asked children, pregnant women, and elderly to stay indoors, warning that they are most at risk.
Pakistan Meteorological Department director Zaheer Ahmad Babar noted that the country experienced above-normal rainfall in April, while temperatures remained moderate. April, May and June are the spring months in Pakistan.
“Heat waves are not very common in May and June, but what is important to understand now is that the frequency of heat waves is increasing,” Dr Zaheer cautioned.
His office said that the current heatwave will likely subside in the coming days, but will make a return in early and late June.
NO CONCRETE PLAN OF ACTION
Beyond giving general advice, however, the Pakistani government has not outlined a concrete plan of action.
Experts said they were caught off-guard by the early arrival of the heatwave and its unexpected intensity.
Volunteers have stepped in to help, setting up temporary water stations with iced water to help people stay cool, especially daily-wage labourers who have no choice but to continue working outdoors.
Hospitals across the country have also been put on high alert, with the government saying the number of people needing urgent medical attention will spike with the prolonged heat wave.
Hospitals have been tasked to set up emergency heat wave response centres and to swiftly treat those coming in with heat stroke symptoms.
Still, many Pakistanis, like Mr Shazad are worried about the long-term impact of the heat.
He pointed out that the heat is driving customers away, making it harder for his family of four to make ends meet.
Once bustling with customers, his bakery now sees next to no footfall.
“Because of the hot weather, people don't leave their homes. This has impacted my daily income,” he lamented.
