Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The government has evolved a strategy to counter the likely impact of climate change.

Under this mechanism water resources will be arranged and institutions and technology will be identified which will prove conducive to both fertile and arid areas.

Such human habitats will be identified which can endure the immense threat of sandstorm. Small dams will be constructed on local rivers and research will be conducted for growing food and fodder in arid lands.

Basically Pakistan is a country of arid land. 68 million hectares which constitutes 80 per cent of total land, is arid and semi arid. 41 million hectares land is arid and 11 million hectares fall in deserts where extreme cold and hot weathers reign. The hottest areas in Pakistan are Thar having 4.3 million hectares, Cholistan 2.6 million hectares, Thal 2.3 million hectares and Chaghi-Kharan 1.8 million hectares.

Thar Desert is the seventh largest desert in the world and its climate is not conducive for human beings.

In the past this area extended help to the ancient civilisations of the world including Harrapa and Mohejo Daro. In summer season the temperature of Thar soars above 50 centigrade and in winter season temperature descends to freezing point.

Ten per cent area of desert consists of sand mounds and 90 per cent of uneven rocks. It is an abode of human life despite the extreme cold weather. Livestock is a major source of income for most of the people residing therein but grass and fodder is needed for breeding livestock.

These cattle graze the grass growing in Thar which further impacts the climate. The source of income of these people is likely to change in the future. Cholistan desert starts at a distance of 30 kilometres from Bahawalpur and this area is stretching over 16,000 square kilometres upto the Thar Desert in Sindh.

This area receives 166 millimetres of average rainfall per annum and the temperature soars to 50 degrees centigrade in summer. 25 million livestock lives in Cholistan and most of the livestock comprises goats and camels.

Underground water is saltish in Choolistan which is not fit for drinking by human beings. The government has devised a framework for taking practical measures to avoid the likely impact of climate change.