ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (Met) on Monday forecast that several parts of the country will receive heavy monsoon rains from June 25 onwards, urging masses to take precautions against the resulting flash floods and landslides in low lying and hilly areas. 

The alert comes as Pakistan braces for another season of extreme weather, following deadly heatwaves and catastrophic floods in recent years. Ranked among the ten most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Pakistan is ramping up preparedness efforts, especially in Punjab, where authorities expect significantly above-average rainfall this monsoon.

In a press release, the Met Office said moist currents are penetrating the upper and central parts of the country and are likely to become “intensified” in the next couple of days.

“A westerly wave is expected to approach upper parts on 25th June and likely to become significant on 26th June,” the Met Office said. It warned that several areas of Azad Kashmir will receive scattered heavy rainfall from June 24 to July 2. Rain, wind and thunderstorms are expected in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar areas from June 26-29, it said. 

The Met Office said rain with thunderstorms are expected in Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, and other cities of Punjab from June 25 to July 1. 

The weather department said rain with thundershowers are expected in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dir, Chitral, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Bajaur, Shangla, Battagram, Buner, Kohat, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Waziristan, Orakzai, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Hangu and Kurram from June 25 to July 1 with occasional gaps. 

“Rain wind/thundershower is expected in northeastern/southern parts of Balochistan (Sherani, Musakhel, Loralai, Sibbi, Barkhan, Naseerabad, Kalat, Lasbella, Khuzdar, Awaran, Kalat, Jaffarabad, Dera Bugti and Kohlu) from 25th night to 28th June,” it added. 

In Sindh, the Met Office said Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Khairpur, Kashmore, Hyderabad, Tharparkar, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Jamshoro, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Thatta, Badin and Karachi are expected to receive rain with thundershowers from June 25-28 with occasional gaps. 

The PMD warned that heavy to very heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs and streams of Murree, Galiyat, Mansehra, Kohistan, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Nowshera, Swabi, Islamabad/Rawalpindi and other areas from June 26 to July 1. 

“Landslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galiyat, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan during the wet spell,” PMD said. 

It advised farmers to manage their activities keeping in mind the weather forecast and advised travelers and tourists to remain “extra cautious.” 

“All concerned authorities are advised to remain “ALERT” and take necessary measures to avoid any untoward situation,” the press release concluded.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has formed three special sub-committees to promote a “cashless” system in the country, his office said on Monday amid Islamabad’s efforts to promote digital transactions to ensure more transparency in the national economy. 

Pakistan is a cash-dominated market where a significant portion of transactions, particularly in the informal sector, are conducted using cash. Pakistan’s central bank has taken steps in recent months to ensure a more cashless economy so that financial transactions are more traceable, reducing chances of tax evasion and corruption. 

Pakistan has witnessed significant growth in digital transactions in recent years. The country’s central bank said in April that its instant payment system, Raast, has processed over 892 million transactions amounting to Rs20 trillion ($72 billion) since its launch in 2021. 

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on promoting a cashless economy,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. “He directed the formation of three committees: Digital Payments Innovation and Adoption Committee, the Digital Public Infrastructure Committee and the Government Payments Committee.”

The press release said these special sub-committees would present recommendations on facilitating payments between the public and businesses, raise awareness about digital systems, activate the Pakistan Digital Authority and simplify transactions between the public and private sectors.

Sharif instructed officials to ensure digital transactions are made more affordable and easier for the public compared to cash ones. He further directed that the RAAST digital payment system be established across the federation and all Pakistani provinces.

“Establishing a digital transaction system is extremely important to bring transparency into the economy,” Sharif was quoted as saying. “Around the world, developed nations and successful economies are prioritizing cashless systems.”

During a briefing given to the premier on the government’s steps to promote a cashless economy, Sharif was told that 40 million users in total are benefiting from RAAST. The Pakistani premier was told that the federal government’s entire financial transactions are being conducted via RAAST and the system is being expanded to provinces as well.

“The Pakistan Digital Authority has been established, and work is underway under its umbrella to promote a cashless economy,” the PMO said. 

The prime minister was also briefed that through the IT ministry’s Smart Islamabad Pilot Project, the government is taking steps to make Islamabad the first cashless city in Pakistan.