By Muhammad Luqman
Pakistan has agreed to send its two climate change experts to Saudi Arabia to help it establish a climate change centre and develop a numerical model of predictions of severe weather. Due to global warming and other climate change issues, severe and extreme weather events are becoming a source of concern for the Middle East and Asia-Pacific region.
According to Pakistan Meteorological Department, this is for the first time that climate change experts from Pakistan will serve in the Saudi Meteorological Agency. Riyadth is a potential candidate to host the Regional Climate Centre for West Asia for World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
The Met Office has nominated Dr Muhammad Afzaal, Deputy Director (Research & Development Division, Islamabad) and Dr Syed Faisal Saeed, Deputy Director at the Met Office for the job.
Earlier in a meeting with the Pakistani authorities, the Saudi government had requested Islamabad to send its experts for capacity building of its officials in its meteorological department.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department had sent the proposal to higher authorities in the federal government who fully endorsed the request.
Now the Pakistani meteorologists are waiting for their visa process to be completed by the Saudi government and as soon as this formality is done they will leave for Saudi Arabia.
