IT was a happening week, with the PML-N government’s second budget, a war in the neighbourhood and a diplomatic delegation in Europe following a visit to the US.

But alongside these earth-shaking events, Pakistan struggled with another issue which barely got any attention in terms of debate or discussion: the searing heat.

Since the recent Eid holidays, the country has been in the middle of a heatwave, with little respite. Temperatures are averaging 40 degrees Celsius in Islamabad, while Punjab and Sindh have seen far worse. And frankly, in homes across the country, the discussion about the possible break from these temperatures dominated conversations as much as the budget or the nearby conflict did.

And while there is good news that the rains are not too far away, the bad news is that experts have warned that these high temperatures are only going to grow with each passing year as is the duration of the summer months.

But in a world and a country struggling with conflict, inflation and economic crises, there is little bandwidth to spare for this issue; the focus this entire past week has remained........

© Dawn