Islamabad and Rawalpindi Rank Among Top 15 Hottest Cities in the World

Rawalpindi and Islamabad have ranked among the top 15 hottest cities in the world, according to the latest global temperature ranking shared from AQI’s live weather tracker.

The ranking placed Rawalpindi at number 13 and Islamabad at number 15, with both cities listed under extreme heat conditions. The report shows Rawalpindi at 41°C, while Islamabad also appears on the list as the federal capital continues to endure intense summer conditions.

In recent weeks, multiple areas across Punjab, Sindh, and southern parts of the country have remained under severe heat stress, with authorities repeatedly advising the public to avoid direct sun exposure during peak daytime hours.

For Islamabad, however, the growing heat is not just a weather story. It also reflects years of poor urban planning and environmental neglect in the federal capital.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has repeatedly faced criticism for cutting down trees and shrinking green cover to make way for underpasses, flyovers and other poorly planned construction projects.

Environmental concerns around such development have persisted for years, with critics warning that Islamabad’s natural cooling system is being steadily dismantled in the name of urban expansion.

The continued removal of trees and weak climate awareness in city planning have only added to the urban heat effect, turning parts of the capital into harder, hotter concrete zones during peak summer months.

Conservation groups, including WWF-Pakistan, have linked the large-scale felling to land clearing for infrastructure work, monument construction and road expansion. Environmental experts have warned that the loss of thousands of mature trees weakens Islamabad’s natural protection against rising temperatures and urban heat.

The removal of large green canopies is feared to be turning parts of the capital into concrete heat traps, making already volatile summer conditions even harsher.