ISLAMABAD: With temperatures soaring beyond 50 degrees centigrade in parts of the country, Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Friday issued a strong warning that adapting to intensifying and prolonged heatwaves was no longer optional but essentialfor nationalsurvival.

Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Saleem Shaikh said on Friday that unusually severe heatwaves have gripped multiple regions since mid-March, disrupting lives, endangering public health, and exposing serious vulnerabilities in the country`s infrastructure.

`Climate change is a present-day crisis,` he stated.

`Pakistan is now facing recurrent, deadly heat events that demand urgent and coordinated climate adaptation.`Rising temperatures in northern areas may enhance snow-melting rate during the forecast period,` the Met Office stated.

The ministry emphasised the need for immediate action by provincial and local authorities to mitigate risks and protect communities, particularly in Sindh, Balochistan, and South Punjab, where earlyseason heatwaves have already taken hold.

Citing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change`s Sixth Assessment Report, Saleem Shaikh noted that South Asia was a global climate hotspot.

Pakistan, in particular, was projected to see a sharprisein population exposure to extreme heat in the coming years.

`We must integrate heat adaptation into urban planning, public health systems, and disaster preparedness, he urged.Key measures proposed included the establishment of community cooling centers, early warning systems, promotion of cool roofing and green urban spaces, restoration of public parks and forests, and increased access to clean drinking water and emergency medical services.

The Ministry was also working with provincial governments, development partners, and civil society to scale up climate-resilient initiatives.

Director General of the Ministry, Mohammad Asif Sahibzada, urged citizens to follow public health advisories and protect at-risk groups such as children, outdoor workers, and the elderly by protecting them from being exposed peak heat during peak hours and keep them hydrated.

He stressed that expanding early warning systems to remote regions and integrating heat-resilient infrastruc-ture into national planning were vital steps for future preparedness.

`Adaptation is no longer just a policy recommendation it is a survival strategy,` Sahibzada said adding, `We must act now, together, to shield lives and livelihoods from the escalating impacts of extreme heat.

The Met Office has forecast heatwave during the three days of Eidul Azha till June 12 during which the daytime temperatures are likely to remain 5 to 7 degrees Celsius above normal in central and upper Punjab, Islamabad,Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from June 7 to 12.

In upper and centralSindh, southern Punjab and parts of Balochistan, daytime temperatures are likely to remain 04 to 06°C above normal from June 7 to 12.

The Met Office has issued advisory urging citizens toavoid exposure to direct sunlight Dust storms and gusty winds are also expected over the plains due to excessive heat, the advisory said.

The PMD has advised citizens, especially children, women and older people, to take precautionary measures avoid exposure to direct sunlight during the daytime and stay hydrated.

Farmers have been advised to manage their crop activities as per the forecast.

The PMD has warned the authorities to remain alert and take necessary measures to avoid any mishap due to severe heatwave conditions.

The heatwave advisory was issued a day after PMD officials informed a high-level meeting that temperatures were already above normal in Gilgit-Baltistan and were forecast to remain so in the days ahead, resulting in above-normal snowmelt.