Authorities warn citizens to be prepared as Quetta faces severe cold wave

WEB DESK: The Quetta Meteorological Department has forecast a severe cold wave in the coming days, prompting the Commissioner of Quetta, Shahzaib Kakar, to issue urgent safety instructions to residents.

Authorities have set up special shelter rooms to protect homeless individuals from the harsh winter conditions. “It is essential for citizens to wear warm clothing and take necessary precautions to safeguard themselves from the cold,” Commissioner Kakar advised.

He urged parents to ensure the safety of their children and elderly family members, emphasising the importance of preventive measures at home. Citizens have also been cautioned against careless use of gas heaters, with the commissioner stressing that negligence could lead to serious accidents.

Highlighting community responsibility, Kakar appealed to residents to look out for vulnerable people around them. “It is everyone’s duty to ensure that no one suffers due to extreme cold,” he said.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are coordinating emergency measures to protect at-risk populations as temperatures are expected to drop significantly over the next few days.

Cold and dry weather to persist

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast cold and dry weather across most parts of the country on Wednesday, with very cold conditions expected in hilly areas. Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan may experience partly cloudy skies, along with rain and snowfall at isolated locations. Fog is likely in parts of Punjab and upper Sindh during the night and early morning hours.

In Islamabad and surrounding areas, the weather is expected to remain cold and partly cloudy. Most districts in Punjab will see cold and dry conditions, while the Pothohar region may experience partly cloudy skies. Hilly areas including Murree and Galiyat are expected to remain very cold with chances of rain and snowfall during the evening and night. Night and early morning fog may form in several districts including Sialkot, Narowal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan.

Sindh will largely experience cold and dry weather, with fog likely in locations such as Sukkur, Larkana, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Mohenjodaro, and Rohri.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will see partly cloudy weather overall, while districts such as Chitral, Swat, Dir, Kohistan, Shangla, and Abbottabad may experience rain, snowfall, strong winds, and thunderstorms. Other districts in the province are expected to remain cold and partly cloudy.

Residents are advised to take precautions against cold and fog, especially in vulnerable and high-altitude areas.