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KARACHI:
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Monday warned that pollution caused by the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iranian oil facilities could deteriorate air quality in the western parts of Pakistan if prevailing winds carry pollutants across the border.
In a statement, the Met Office said atmospheric currents originating from Iran may transport pollutants into neighbouring regions of Pakistan.
“Due to [the] recent situation in Iran, the winds may carry pollutants and deteriorate air quality in the western parts of the country,” the PMD said.
Separately, the PMD forecast rain and thunderstorms in the upper parts of Pakistan under the influence of a westerly weather system expected to approach Monday evening and persist until March 12.
The Met Office predicted partly cloudy to cloudy weather with moderate rain, wind and thunderstorms, including occasional heavy falls, in several districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including Dir, Kohistan, Chitral, Swat, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Haripur.
Similar weather conditions are expected in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir during the same period.
Light rain and thunderstorms are also likely on March 10 and 11 in Khyber, Mohmand, Peshawar, Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda, Nowshera, Bajaur, Bannu, Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu and Mianwali.
According to the PMD, rain-wind and thunderstorms are also expected in Islamabad, the Potohar region, Murree, Galliyat and nearby areas from Monday night to March 11, with intermittent gaps.
“Hailstorm at isolated places is also likely in Islamabad and upper parts of the country during the forecast period,” the statement said.
