UNUSUALLY DRY WEATHER IS FORECAST FOR PAKISTAN OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS, THREATENING TO COMPOUND A DIRE WATER SITUATION, AN OFFICIAL SAID SUNDAY, ACCORDING TO AP. MODERATE DROUGHT-LIKE CONDITIONS HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED IN BALUCHISTAN, PAKISTAN'S SOUTHWESTERN PROVINCE, AND WATER AVAILABILITY IN THE COUNTRY IS «UNDER STRESS,» SAID QAMAR-UZ ZAMAN CHAUDHRY, HEAD OF THE PAKISTAN METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT. PAKISTAN HAS HAD LOWER THAN AVERAGE RAIN AND SNOW THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, AND THE UPCOMING DRY SPELL WILL AGGRAVATE THE WATER SHORTAGE, HE SAID. «DURING THE NEXT TWO MONTHS NO SIGNIFICANT RAINS ARE EXPECTED WHICH CAN IMPROVE THE WATER SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY,» HE SAID IN A STATEMENT URGING WATER MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENTS TO USE WATER RESOURCES AS «JUDICIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.» DEMAND FOR WATER HAS INCREASED AS SUMMERTIME TEMPERATURES HAVE SHOT UP, REACHING UP TO 49 DEGREES CELSIUS (120 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) IN SOME PARTS OF EASTERN PAKISTAN.
