Winter in Pakistan: When the Cold Becomes a Test of Faith
What happens when the cold arrives, and you have nothing to keep it out?
While the United States steps into summer, families across Pakistan, Lebanon, Yemen, Türkiye, and Bangladesh are preparing for another harsh winter. But for many, preparation means little, because they have nothing left to prepare with.
In Pakistan temperatures can fall as low as –14°C. Families live in fragile homes that offer no insulation from the cold. The walls crack. The roofs leak. And the cold air moves in.
Mothers light small fires, burning scraps of rubbish, or damp wood to keep their children warm. It isn't just comfort they're seeking, it's survival.
How Did Pakistan Become This Vulnerable?
Despite contributing just 0.9% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan ranks as the eighth most vulnerable country to climate change (Germanwatch, 2024).
The floods of 2025 revealed this vulnerability in painful detail, more than 5 million people affected, 870 lives lost, entire villages submerged and crops destroyed (UN OCHA, 2025).
And it's not just Pakistan. In Lebanon, refugees in makeshift tents brace against icy winds that sweep through the valleys. In Yemen, families weakened by years of war and hunger struggle to afford heating fuel or food.
What Does Poverty Look Like When the Cold Sets In?
The World Bank reports that 39.4% of Pakistan's population, about 95 million people live in poverty. The World Food Programme adds that 82% of Pakistanis cannot afford a healthy diet, and nearly half of an average household's monthly income goes toward food.
For the 20 million people who are homeless in Pakistan, the highest in Asia, winter is not a season of hardship. Families without homes or heating sleep on cold ground under plastic sheets.
The elderly cough through the night; children cry to sleep hungry and shivering.
Across the Region, the Same Reality Repeats
- •Lebanon: Widows choose between food and medicine.
- •Yemen: Families skip meals so their children can eat.
- •Bangladesh: Poor communities wait for food packs that might arrive just in time.
Across the region, poverty strips away choice.
Why Is This Winter Expected to Be Even Harsher?
According to Intersector Coordination Group (ISCG), Pakistan is bracing for one of its coldest winters in decades, driven by the La Niña climate pattern when sea temperatures drop in the Pacific, triggering extreme cold and unpredictable rainfall.
This year, the cold threatens not only comfort but also food security, health, and recovery in flood-hit areas. The Global Hunger Index 2024 ranks Pakistan 109th out of 127 countries, describing its situation as "serious."
Critical Statistics
- •20.7% of people are undernourished
- •40% of children under five are stunted
- •18% suffer acute malnutrition
For families already weakened by hunger and displacement, a drop in temperature could mean another tragedy that never makes the headlines.
"Indeed, with hardship comes ease."
- Qur'an 94:6
What Is Al-Ihsan Foundation Doing to Help?
Insha'Allah through your donations, Al-Ihsan Foundation is delivering life-saving aid across all five countries through our Winter Appeal 2025.
Pakistan
Our partners are distributing essential aid to families in need.
Lebanon & Türkiye
We're supporting refugees, orphans, widows and the vulnerable communities.
Yemen
We're reaching those hardest hit by war and economic collapse.
Bangladesh
We're providing warmth and food for communities in need.
"The believer's shade on the Day of Judgment will be his charity."
- Prophet Muhammad ﷺ | Tirmidhi
Will You Help Bring Warmth to Those Facing the Cold?
When we give, we do more than provide comfort, we restore dignity.
This winter, your Sadaqah and Zakat can mean the difference between hunger and nourishment, between cold and comfort.
Insha'Allah, together we can bring warmth, food, and hope to families across Pakistan, Lebanon, Yemen, Türkiye, and Bangladesh.
Be the warmth that reaches families before the coldest nights arrive.
Your Sadaqah and Zakat are their lifeline this winter.