Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD)

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) was established Shortly after independence in 1947, and inherited 15 meteorological observatories from the Central Meteorological Organization of the British Raj. In 1948, PMD began providing basic weather forecast to Pakistan’s print media.

In the 1950s, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) became one of the leading scientific institutions in Pakistan; concerning itself in the field of research in space and atmospheric sciences, it worked in close coordination with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Ministry of Environment (MoEn) for reporting accurate weather information for aviation and hydrography.

In the 1960s, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) was split and the Pakistan Navy Hydrographic Department was established for the Pakistan Navy. Some of Pakistan’s most notable and reputable scientists have been affiliated with the PMD. It assisted the federal government in establishing the Space Research Commission (SRC) in 1961, where many of its atmospheric scientists and technical staff joined the new space agency.

The PMD has also assisted and lead studies in the Geomagnetic Field Monitoring Program of the SRC. Since its establishment, the PMD has become one of the leading governmental scientific institution in guiding the government in environmental and space policy formation.

In 1965, the first televised weather forecast was broadcast by PTV. Since 1974, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has been collecting data on seismic activity in Pakistan and thus is able to act as a consultant in seismic design of dams, buildings as well as disaster relief schemes. PMD’s flood forecasting system has assisted the other government as well.